Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546219
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 19 AUGUST 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The court heard testimony regarding the initial police in- tervention on Naxxar Road in Birkirkara. Officers located the alleged victim in a field near the road, wearing a dark top, a skirt, and high heels, attire officers noted was atypical for a stand- ard massage therapist. Upon confirming her identity through her documents, police treated her as a victim in the case. According to officers, the woman appeared in a state of panic, repeatedly express- ing concern that she had done something wrong and voicing worry over the arrest of her boss. Police subsequently escorted the witness back to the mas- sage establishment to conduct a search of the premises. Inside the parlour, officers observed two security cameras mount- ed near the entrance corridor, along with two mobile phones, one of which appeared dam- aged. During the search, officers dis- covered a considerable quanti- ty of condoms hidden inside a cushion cover placed on a chair in the corridor. Financial findings at the shop included €500 in cash, and 170 of what the testifying officer be- lieves to have been Eastern Car- ibbean dollars, and additional sums of money hidden within the window curtains. The witness informed officers the cash found inside the cur- tains belonged to the victim and constituted her personal sav- ings. Officers also noted a QR code displayed inside the shop, allow- ing clients to transfer payments digitally rather than using cash. Testimony from police sur- veillance teams revealed inves- tigators had kept the establish- ment under close observation for five to six days prior to the search. During this period, officers noted activity at the shop fre- quently extended late into the night, sometimes until 11pm or midnight. Investigators observed the vic- tim going through a consistent closing routine: stepping out- side into a nearby parking lot to empty a small rubbish bin into a dog waste bin, returning to close the main glass door, and pulling down the exterior metal shutter. An official from Identità, Isaac Micallef, also presented records regarding employment permits associated with the case. The court was informed that Shen Man's residence and single-per- mit applications in Malta date back to between 2013 and 2015, including past employment with "Massage Tempest." In total, six applications were filed, with her current permit remaining valid until February 2027. The court has requested full financial records, including Revolut and bank account state- ments belonging to both the victim and the accused. The case has been deferred to 9 September at 10am. Magistrate Lara Lanfranco presided over this case. AG lawyers Ramon Bonett Sladden and Charmaine Ab- dilla alongside Inspectors John Spiteri, Dorianne Tabone, and Oscar Baldacchino led the pros- ecution. Lawyer Francois Dalli is ap- pearing for the accused, while lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic is rep- resenting the alleged victim on behalf of the Women's Rights Foundation. Police officers testifying in court describe finding cash hidden inside curtains MTA to bring in dedicated ranger service into Cirkewwa Marine Park management A dedicated ranger service is set to be brought directly within the Ċirkewwa Marine Park's manage- ment structure, the Malta Tour- ism Authority has told MaltaTo- day. As part of the continued devel- opment and management of the park, the MTA will extend its fi- nancial support to Nature Trust – FEE Malta for a further three years in its role as the site manag- er of the Ċirkewwa Marine Park. The Ċirkewwa Marine Park is one of Malta's most important marine and diving areas, with its management focused on protect- ing the marine environment while supporting sustainable recrea- tional and tourism activities. The Park is backed by a Man- agement Plan and a management structure involving authorities and stakeholders through the Ċirkewwa Management Coun- cil. It balances marine protection with activities such as diving, boating, fishing, and recreation, while focusing on monitoring, visitor management, education, diver safety, and the protection of sensitive habitats. During discussions on the new management agreement, Nature Trust Malta proposed appoint- ing dedicated officials to operate specifically within the Ċirkewwa Marine Park and to form an in- tegral part of its day-to-day man- agement. Following consideration of this proposal, they said it was agreed that integrating the ranger service directly within the Park's man- agement structure would allow for more effective use of available resources, providing an increased and more consistent ranger pres- ence on site, with a team dedicat- ed specifically to the needs of the Marine Park. They said that Nature Trust will therefore issue a call in the coming days, with the new ser- vice supporting monitoring, vis- itor management, education and awareness, and the protection of the area's marine environment, while complementing the existing functions of the Government en- tities that regulate such measures. As a result of this revised man- agement approach, the agree- ment with the Malta Rangers Unit (MRU) has not been renewed. "We will now stop monitoring the area with immediate effect," the MRU said in a statement on Mon- day, adding that the reason given for the decision was not linked to the quality of the rangers' work and that it would not comment further, as this was "not for us to reflect on." The MTA said the decision not to renew the MRU agreement is not related to the quality of the work carried out by the organi- sation or its rangers but reflects the move towards a more inte- grated management structure for the Marine Park, a point already communicated by Nature Trust directly to the MRU. The organisation said its rangers had worked hard to curb illegal- ities such as night spearfishing, illegal net laying and speeding vessels, and had also kept divers safe and educated the public on relevant legislation, both during the day and at night. The MRU urged the public to re- port illegal activities to the MTA or park management, as it will no longer monitor or assist with such reports. However, it said rang- ers could be available again if the MTA requests their help. It added that its work continues in other conservation areas and thanked divers at Ċirkewwa for their support. The MTA has acknowledged the contribution of the Malta Rangers Unit during its period of engage- ment at the Park and thanked its rangers for their work. The MTA said the introduction of dedicated Park Rangers repre- sents another step in the contin- ued development of the Ċirkewwa Marine Park and complements the wider measures being imple- mented through its Management Plan. They said this is intended to strengthen the long-term man- agement, monitoring and protec- tion of the area, while ensuring that Ċirkewwa remains acces- sible for responsible recreation and continues to serve as one of Malta's leading diving and marine tourism sites JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt The Cirkewwa Marine Park is one of Malta's most important marine and diving areas, with its management focused on protecting the marine environment while supporting sustainable recreational and tourism activities (Photo: Cirkewwa Marine Park)