A sixth player in a romance fraud, in which an elderly woman was swindled out of some €58,000, was remanded in custody upon his arraignment on Friday.
Nigerian-born Tabi Ovi, 36, living at Swieqi and working as a taxi driver, was escorted to court and charged with having money-laundering linked to a scam through which the victim was lured into a virtual relationship with a US soldier stationed in Afghanistan.
The man pleaded not guilty to money laundering as well as knowingly receiving property obtained through crime.
The man’s lawyer, Rachel Tua, did not request bail at the arraignment stage.
The court, presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, issued an attachment order over all the accused’s monies and property, movable and immovable, except for an annual allowance of €13,976.