Contractor says accused asked him for money during Swatar project

A contractor yesterday told a court that he had not reported an environment ministry employee for extortion because a request for money in exchange for work was not unusual in certain quarters, a court heard yesterday.

Carmelo Bonnici said he had referred the matter to the ministry but not the police although he had filed police reports about other cases of bribery. The minister had however informed the police and this led to the case against Vincent Cilia, the employee from Zebbug.

Bonnici testified before Magistrate Abigail Lofaro in the compilation of evidence against Cilia of Zebbug, who is pleading not guilty to extorting money from Bonnici and his son Marco before July 14, 2001.

Bonnici was yesterday cross-examined by Cilia's lawyer Dr Jason Azzopardi and claimed he never paid or promised payment to anyone in exchange for work.

But Dr Azzopardi then asked him if it was true that he was facing charges of bribery and that he (Bonnici) had admitted giving Marlene Mangion, the wife of engineer Mark Mangion, a cheque of Lm200 in exchange for work.

Bonnici was warned by the magistrate that he could choose not to reply to questions if the answers could incriminate him and he chose not to reply to the question.

The prosecution then objected to the defence's line of questioning and claimed that the mention of third parties had no bearing in these proceedings.

Magistrate Lofaro overruled the objection on the grounds that the questions might shed light on the credibility of the witness.

The defence lawyer continued the cross-examination and asked Bonnici if he had been paid for the works conducted at Swatar.

Bonnici replied that he had not received payment and confirmed giving the same reply when he testified on March 22.

Defence: If I had to tell you that you were paid Lm8,177 for the works you carried out at Swatar, what would your reply be?

Bonnici: I was paid something.

D: Then why didn't you say so during your testimony on March 22?

Bonnici replied that he was not sure whether he was paid the Lm8,177 before or after he had testified but explained that he was still owed Lm20,000 for the Swatar works. He added that he had said that he was not paid since he had received less than half what was owed to him.

D: Do you remember saying, in your testimony, that Cilia used to send people to distract you while working on the Swatar project?

B: Yes.

D: Do you remember that you had promised the inspector, and therefore, the court, that you would disclose the names of these people?

B: Yes, and I am willing to keep my promise. One of the men was called Zaren but I don't know his surname. He is known by the nickname Il-Qastnat and used to live in Zabbar. There used to be another man with him but I don't know his name.

Zaren tried to hinder me on the job more than once. He used to tell me he was sent by Cilia.

D: Did Cilia hinder you?

B: Yes.

D: How?

B: He used to come and change the instructions he would have given me earlier.

D: Was it Zaren Darmanin? The supervisor?

B: I don't know his surname but I know he was a foreman.

Bonnici went on to explain how Zaren used to tell him what to do when he already knew what to do.

D: Are you a sensitive person? What did Zaren do to distract you so much? It was, after all, his job to tell you what to do.

B: Yes but he would, for example, ask me what time I was going to lay the concrete. I'd tell him at 9 a.m. and he would either come late or not turn up when he'd know that I could not proceed without him.

Dr Azzopardi then asked Bonnici if Cilia had ever asked him for money and he replied that Cilia had asked for money during the Swatar project. He said Cilia also blackmailed him several times through his (Bonnici's) son.

In reply to a question by the prosecution, Bonnici said that when he was paid the initial Lm8,000 for the Swatar project, he believed it meant that the work he had carried out so far was good work.

He said he was later informed that he could not be paid the Lm20,000 because the file had been lost.

The case continues.

Police Inspector David Saliba is prosecuting.

Dr Azzopardi and Dr Kris Busietta are appearing for Cilia and Dr Anglu Farrugia is appearing in parte civile for Bonnici.