Enemalta customers paid up to €5,200 for tampered smart meters

10 Enemalta account holders who paid for tampered smart meters testify against middlemen involved in scam

Enemalta account holders who paid middlemen and former Enemalta employees in exchange for a tampered smart meter, told court that they paid between €1,200 and €5,200, with one man claiming that he paid a total of €6,800 for two rigged smart meters.

The revelation was heard this morning during the compilation of evidence against Martin Cilia La Corte, 49 of Marsascala; Anthony Mifsud, 50, of Rabat; and Emanuel Micallef, 35, of Mtarfa; who are all being charged with defrauding Enemalta and bribing public officers.

Martin Cilia La Corte had been identified as a middleman between clients and installers. Six or seven account holders who had sought an amnesty from court proceedings, had identified Cilia La Corte as being the middleman. 

Another accused, Anthony Mifsud, was also identified as a go-between and had been mentioned by three people.

In the first case, Enemalta account holders Brian Cassar, Patrick Rizzo, Brian John Ralton, and Johan Tanti explained that the accused, Brian Cilia La Corte, acted as a middle man in the scam.

The witnesses – who testified in exchange for a pardon by the Attorney General and Enemalta– explained that they had initially complained of the smart meters, claiming that their bills were too expensive. Subsequently, the court heard, the men were approached by La Corte who “offered them a solution.”

Asked by Inspector Roderick Zammit, the men told the court that after being approached by the accused, an Enemalta employee would come to their home and change their smart meter.

Cassar paid €1,200, Rizzo paid €500 after complaining that the initial price was too steep, while Ralton paid €2,000.

On the other hand, Tanti explained that despite changing two smart meters, he paid a higher price than the rest.

“I was talking about smart meters when the accused approached me at my pastizzeria. I told him I was interested in changing my smart meter, and I paid €5,200 to change the smart meter at work.”

“He [the accused] initially told me that my smart meter could not be changed as the usual man who carried out the tampering did not work in the area. However, after waiting for a couple of weeks, I received a call, and days later three men came to my house and I paid them a further €1,600 to change my smart meter,” he said.

Testifying in the compilation of evidence against Anthony Mifsud, two other Enemalta account holders – John Mifsud and Charles Bellia, both of Mosta, – told the court that they paid between €1,200 and €1,500 in exchange for a tampered smart meter.

On his part, Christopher Zammit, said he paid €2,000.

“In the beginning of 2012, I approached a certain Victor Sciberras, an Enemalta employee, and told him that I would like to change my smart meter in exchange for lower utility bills. After him for several times, he told me that he would sort it out, and four days later, two persons came and installed a tampered smart meter in exchange for €2,000,” Zammit held.

On the other hand, three witnesses who were summoned to testify against Emanuel Micallef.

Gorgina Baldacchino, of Qormi, testified how she got to know Micallef by change as they had met at Valletta. She said that after hearing her complain about the smart meters, the accused offered her a “solution” in exchange for €1,200.

She said she paid €1,200 on the day she met him, and the smart meter was installed at a later date.

Two other clients – Victor Schembri and Joseph Pace – told the court that Micallef had been recommended to them by an Enemalta technician. Schembri said he was paid €1,400 while Pace said he paid €1,200.

All smart meters were presented as evidence in court.

Inspector Daniel Zammit led the prosecution, while Lawyers Franco Debono, and Angie Muscat were parte civile for Enemalta.