A 47-year-old woman has been acquitted of lending money in exchange for unreasonably high interest, or usury charges, after the court found that the victims had invented the story in order to get out of paying the accused.

The case began in 2012, where Joyce Scerri was reported to the police by Raymond Bonnici, his partner Doris Vella and their daughter Graziella.

The court heard how the mother and daughter had previously borrowed small sums of money without paying interest, and that there had not been any repayment problems in the past. Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, presiding over the case, noted how the alleged victims’ stories were inconsistent, and that they had forgotten key details of their case.

The mother and daughter alleged that trouble began when they borrowed a sum of €3,700 which was to be paid in €400 monthly installments.

They alleged that when the amount was repaid in full, Mr Scerri had claimed that they actually needed to pay a total of €8,700.

The mother, Doris Vella, testified that upon borrowing the €3,700, the accused had ordered her to pay higher and higher interest rights – however she could not remember details of payment.

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit noted how the accused’s version of events was consistent. She testified that Doreen Vella would often borrow money and other items. There were never any problems with repayment, she said.

The court heard how it was the daughter, Graziella, who asked the accused for €6,380 because they had debts and would suffer real consequences without borrowing the money.

The accused drafted a document which stated that the loan would be repaid in installments of €400, without interest. Both parties signed the document.

Doris Vella then approached Ms Scerri and asked for a further €2,500 due to a fine which needed to be paid. The total amount owed amounts to €8,880 and they agreed that it would be paid in €600 monthly installments.

There was no proof to suggest that the accused had charges exorbitantly high interest rates, and the court heard how she had hardly seen any of the €600 installments repaid.

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit therefore acquitted the accused of all charges. Lawyers Vince Micallef and Stephanie Abela formed part of the defence council.