A 53-year-old man and his 23-year-old brother have been cleared of defiling their six-year-old daughter and niece, after the court ruled that the girl was made to tell such narratives by her mother.
The two men were charged back in 2008 after the girl’s mother filed a complaint in the midst of separation proceedings, saying that she saw changes in her daughter’s behavioral patterns.
The two men were charged with defilement over an incident when the girl walked into her father and uncle watching pornography. In another incident, photographic images appeared on screen while the child was using her father’s computer.
During proceedings, the girls said that her uncle had forced her to engage in sexual acts.
The court however ruled that the girl’s version of events was not convincing, and involved many inconsistencies.
“Even though this exposure could have had an effect on the child, this does not mean that her father is guilty of the charge brought against him,” Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said.
Police Inspector Raymond Debono led the prosecution, while lawyer Mark Vassallo appeared for the two brothers.