The husband of the owner of a block of flats being used as a brothel told a court today that he had often seen different women sitting on the window sills, beckoning to men as if to welcome them inside.
Michael Sciberras, the husband of the owner of the Gzira block of flats, said the building was being rented out to Therese Cutajar 60, who along with her 25-year-old husband Elmleti Saad, stands accused of running a brothel in Enrico Mizzi Street in Gzira.
Mr Sciberras said he had first gone to the police when someone informed him that a man, probably a Libyan, had died of a heart attack inside the building. He had also been told stories that the flats were being used as a brothel.
The witness said he drove through the area frequently on his way to work and saw different women in the windows whenever he did. “They beckon to men as if to welcome them inside the building.” When asked by defence lawyer Joseph Arrigo how he could have seen the women beckoning to men if he kept on driving, Mr Sciberras said he usually slowed down to see what was happening and had formed a clear idea of what was going on.
Earlier, his wife Jeanette Sciberras said she had inherited the premises from her parents. She used to meet Therese Cutajar every six months. The accused would pay around €400 in ground rent.
On Wednesday, the court heard the testimony of three women who had worked as prostitutes from the same building. One of them claimed she had been treated as a sex slave by the accused, who charged her €20 per day for a room.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Jason Sultana, is expected to present two more witnesses. Lawyer Joseph Arrigo did not request bail at this time. The case continues on 8 October.