Lm1,000 libel damages award

The editor of the newspaper KullHadd has been ordered by Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna to pay Lm1,000 to Peppi Azzopardi.

The judgment was delivered in the writ filed by Azzopardi in his personal capacity as a partner in Where's Everybody? against Felix Agius.

Azzopardi claimed he had been libelled by an article published in KullHadd on December 9, 2001 entitled Ta' Where's Everybody? Jaharbu.

Agius pleaded that the article was not libellous and that the facts contained in the article consisted of journalistic reporting of questions that were in the public interest. Agius also pleaded that the article constituted fair comment.

Magistrate Apap Bologna pointed out that Agius had failed to produce any evidence in support of his pleas. Azzopardi however specified that the article was libellous as it declared that "Where's Everybody?" received a commission on the proceeds collected in the Christmas programme L-Istrina, which proceeds were raised for charity.

Azzopardi denied that he or his partners received any commission.

Furthermore, neither he nor his partners were paid for their contribution towards L-Istrina.

The court concluded that the article was libellous and that it had been written and published with malicious intent. The article was certainly not journalistic reporting on matters of public interest.

Magistrate Apap Bologna ordered Agius to pay Azzopardi Lm1,000 libel damages.