Man jailed over €30,000 theft from Gozo winery

A man who stole €30,000 from a winery in Malta, but later returned the money to its owner, has been sentenced to two years in jail, despite the winery owner forgiving his actions.

William Boakye, 37, admitted to the aggravated theft at Bacchus Winery in Fontana, Gozo, in February, as reported by the Times of Malta.

However in an unusual twist, the man was able to earn the forgiveness of the victim by returning the stolen cash, with the owner of the winery declaring in open court that he had received €29,950 from the accused “in full and final settlement of all claims”.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud acknowledged the man’s remorse, and the actions he had taken to remedy his actions, noting that Boakye had an otherwise clean criminal record.

However this wasn’t enough to dissuade the magistrate from handing down a jail term, sentencing Boakye to two years in jail.

While Malta is not readily known for its wine production, grapes grown in its hot and humid climate include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as the indigenous varieties Gellewza and Ghirghentina.