Palma.The market trader allegedly attacked and slashed across the face with a sharp object when two masked men tried to rob him in the staff toilets in Olivar market, admitted to the police yesterday that he had staged the whole incident.
After having combed through the images captured by the CCTV cameras in the market and found now trace of the alleged attackers, police began to grow suspicious about the attack which took place in toilets which are always locked and keys only available off staff from the supermarket.
Eyewitnesses
Eyewitnesses, shoppers and fellow market traders failed to shed any light on what might have happened either which also further aroused the police's suspicions because the alleged attack happened just after mid day, which is one of the busiest trading times of the day.
And, yesterday, when questioned again on his hospital bed, the retailer admitted that he had invented the attack.
It appears that the retailer was soon to lose his job so he decided that, if he got injured in an alleged attack while at work and was hospitalised, he could not be sacked until his baja' (official sick leave) has run its course and therefore would have gained a few more weeks worth of wages.
Lied to the police
The market trader apparently admitted to having inflicted the injuries upon himself and lying to police about the alleged two foreign attackers.
Now the tables have turned and the police will have to submit a full report about the market trader's antics to their superiors and, while he recuperates in hospital, they will decide his fate considering he falsely reported a crime and lied to the police which is a crime.