No bail after Court calls woman's bluff

A woman charged with stealing 400 cigarettes and a bag containing thousands of euros has been remanded in custody after making a court wait in vain for two hours for her to repay the stolen cash.

46-year-old Qawra resident Carmela Cini was charged with two counts of aggravated theft before magistrate Monica Vella this afternoon. Inspector Maurice Curmi explained that the accused had been calling at a shop on a daily basis before she started to steal from it.

On 2 February at 5:20am she allegedly stole two cartons of 200 cigarettes, he said. Three days later she returned at 4:30am and snatched the owners cash bag after waiting for her to open the shop.

Nothing was recovered of the €3,500 stolen, the inspector said.

“It didn’t have €3,500, it had €2,000 in it. She made up that amount.” Cini testily told the inspector whilst waiting for her lawyer to arrive.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis, appointed as legal aid to the accused, said the woman was not going to admit the charges unless the amount was reduced.

The defence said she was prepared to admit to stealing €2,000 but not €3,500. A not guilty plea was later entered and bail was requested.

Inspector Curmi pointed out that she had been arraigned on similar cases and given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to bail. “But it has clearly emerged that she is not trustworthy.  She has an apparent drug problem,” added the inspector.

Parte civile Franco Galea suggested that the woman could return the stolen cash, leading the Court to ask whether she had the €2,000. “I have to be out to give the money back,” replied the sullen woman. “If I’m in jail there’s no chance you’ll see the money again.”

The court called her bluff and postponed the sitting for an hour until the woman could be escorted to collect the cash. The woman made a phonecall instead, asking an unidentified third party to deliver the cash to court.

However when the case was reconvened nearly two hours later, the money was still not forthcoming. “The cavalry has not arrived,” Galea quipped when the magistrate asked for an update. “Madam, I gave you two hours,” the court told the accused disapprovingly.

“They still haven’t arrived,” Cini replied with a resigned shrug.

The court denied bail, ordering the woman to be remanded in custody.