Former employee gets suspended jail term over €16,000 cash theft from kiosk

A woman has been sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, after she admitted to a series of thefts from a Sliema kiosk she worked at.

Valeria Danna Gallego Millan had initially pleaded not guilty but changed her plea on Tuesday.

The kiosk owner claimed that €16,000 in cash had been stolen. In court, the accused admitted to taking money but insisted that the sum amounted to €1,500 and not the figure claimed by her employer.

Nevertheless, the woman repaid a substantial portion of the stolen money corresponding to the amount indicated by the kiosk owner.

Both the defence and the prosecution agreed that the appropriate punishment was a suspended sentence in light of her cooperation with the police and a clean criminal record. “Who hasn’t made a mistake at some point in their life? If no one ever erred, we would not even be here,” lawyer Charles Mercieca said.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Astrid May Grima, accepted the joint request from the parties but added that the woman is to return to her country once the outstanding sum is settled. In its remarks, the court observed that everyone makes mistakes, and that the purpose of the suspended sentence is corrective, giving an opportunity for reform.

The woman was found guilty by her own admission and handed a one-year sentence, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to pay the remaining €5,000 within two weeks from the date of judgment. The €5,000 was established as the balance still owed by the woman.

The court also ordered that a copy of the judgment be sent to the Principal Immigration Officer for any necessary action, such as her removal from Malta.

The prosecution was led by Attorney General lawyer Luigi Gulia and Inspector Ian Azzopardi. Lawyer Charles Mercieca appeared for the accused. Lawyers Mario Mifsud and Nicholas Mifsud appeared for the parte civile.