Is this a fair sentence?
By ronaldinu
@ronaldinu (12422)
Malta
October 15, 2008 10:47am CST
I read this article in a local newspaper [i]Giulio Zarb, 50 of St Julians today pleaded guilty in court to having misappropriated €89,000 to the detriment of John P Busuttil in a case which took place last November.
The court heard how Mr Zarb had told invited Mr Busuttil to join him in business ventures to buy land and import cars but had requested money upfront.
Mr Busuttil forwarded him the required money, and Mr Zarb gambled it all away.
Mr Zarb after pleading guilty was handed a two year jail term suspended for four years.[/i]
What about the money? Has it been returned? Do you think that this is a fair sentence?
3 people like this
11 responses
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
20 Oct 08
No, it's very unfair. The man should have been put in prison at least ten years for theft and be made to work in prison at paid labor so he can pay back the man he robbed. I hope Busuttil learned a lesson, too.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169568)
• United States
15 Oct 08
If he did not have to return the money, no it is not fair. People need to be cautious about anyone who wants up front money.
1 person likes this
@Alexandria37 (5717)
• Ireland
16 Oct 08
The law is strange. Sometimes I wonder whose side it is on. People who have committed a lesser offence than this person could probably receive a more sever punishment. I think it is unfair. I hope he was made to return the money but I also think that he should have served time in prison.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Oct 08
I think it is fair if the money has to be returned as well, so if this was not a condition then a jail term alone doesn't really help the person who lost the money does it? And the term is suspended anyway so this Zarb guy will more than likely never serve any time anyway. It's misappropriation and fraud clear and simple so if there are no conditions related to paying back the money then it is way too soft a punishment in my opinion.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Oct 08
ronaldiny hi no I dont think this is fair, he should have to repay the money if he is out in t wo years, he should be forced to have money taken out of every pay check until the money he
gambled away is paid back to nmr Busuttil. I say let him out in two years onley so he can work at a high paying job and be forced to hand over a goodly amount to MrBusuttil.
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
15 Oct 08
I think he should have been put away for much longer than that, and there should be some legal way, I don't care how they do it, that the victim gets all the money back that he lost. I think that the guy got off way way way too easy. I don't agree with this at all.
@Ohara_1983 (4117)
• Kuwait
15 Oct 08
Lot of people make unfair judgement my dera is not happen only to your place, even in philippines there is one man who convicted for how many years for raping 2 young girl but know his free with out any question, maybe because of thier money.but its is totally unfair to the family it must be the sentence will be lifetime of hang it will be not enought for him.
@derek_a (10873)
•
16 Oct 08
That is the trouble with justice. The thief may get a prison sentence, but the victim of the crime has to try and put things back together again. I suppose each case is different, but I am sure in some cases, the thief could be made to pay all the money back - if only a small amount each month, rather than go to prison and pay nothing. It seems that the law-makers are the only winners as the lawyers often get huge sums for prosecuting and defending... It just seems that life is not fair or unfair, it is just the way things are. :-)
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
16 Oct 08
Hi ronaldinu,
No its not a fair sentence and he should be made to pay every peny of it back, even if he have to sell everything he possese.
Tamara
@vmksvmks (411)
• Canada
16 Oct 08
I have no idea about this case but i guess all i can say i haven't all the information I cannot be a judge and jury So i guess in the eyes of the law and jury ..if there was one..,the judge is the one in a position to pass sentence and I believe in the Law and Justice Good Luck
