Court denies bail to woman charged with false rape report against taxi driver

Woman accused of falsely accusing cab driver is remanded in custody after bail is denied         

A woman has been remanded in custody after being charged with falsely claiming to have been raped by a driver she had hired through a popular ride-hailing app.

Police inspectors Joseph Busuttil and Andrew Agius Bonello charged 45-year-old Louise Chetcuti Vassallo of St. Paul’s Bay with having falsely accused the man of a crime that she knew he had not committed, taking a false oath and fabricating evidence.

The woman is understood to have filed a police report, claiming that she had been taken to a secluded part of Bahar ic-Caghaq, instead of to her home, and then raped by her Bolt driver. Tracking data gathered during the subsequent investigation, however, revealed that she had not been taken there, but to Pembroke.

The police say that during the drive home, the defendant had propositioned sex to the driver, who had agreed. The driver, who had been arrested and questioned for 12 hours before being released without charge, had explained to the police that while on the way to her destination, she had asked to be taken to Pembroke.

Chetcuti Vassallo pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her lawyer, Jason Grima, asked for bail.

The prosecution objected to the request, as two civilians were yet to testify. One witness had been with the defendant at the place where they had been drinking before she left. The other witness is the Bolt driver whom she is accused of falsely reporting.

Inspector Busuttil pointed out to the fact that the driver spent 12 hours under an unnecessary arrest. “Although these offences don’t carry big punishments, the man could have been jailed for a long time had the woman been believed.”

Grima argued that the case was not a compilation of evidence. “It is serious, yes, but not enough to have a compilation of evidence.” He pointed out that the defendant has a clean criminal record. “It is the inspector's subjective opinion. We are insisting that she did not make any false allegations,” he said.

He argued that Chetcuti Vassallo did not know the man and that therefore there was no fear of her tracing him. Inspector Busuttil, however, pointed out that the app provides the name, surname and mobile number of the driver.

“You have before you a married woman, her husband is here in court today to show his support, as is her father. She works as a company director and has a 16-year-old son.” Grima submitted, arguing that there was no need to remand the woman in custody.

The court, however, denied bail at this stage.