Man admits to paying judges

Four years after the nation was shocked by allegations that two judges had accepted bribes, one of four men charged with complicity in their bribery has pleaded guilty.

Joseph Zammit yesterday told Magistrate Abigail Lofaro how he handed over Lm5,000 each to former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo and former Judge Patrick Vella after they reduced the jail term of drug trafficker Mario Camilleri when they presided over his appeal in 2002.

"I know I made a big mistake... Nowadays, I'm ashamed to show my face in public and I spent a long time not going out," Mr Zammit said during his testimony yesterday.

Mr Zammit filed a guilty plea to complicity in the bribery of the two judges soon after testifying in the compilation of evidence against him.

He had been charged together with drug trafficker Mario Camilleri and his son Pierre Camilleri, and businessman Anthony John Grech Sant.

All four men had originally pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit a crime and complicity in the bribery of the judges.

The judges themselves have also been charged in court. They are pleading not guilty to two counts of bribery and one of revealing official secrets in connection with a judgment handed down by the Court of Criminal Appeal against Mario Camilleri on July 5, 2002.

Following a separation of proceedings, Mr Zammit yesterday filed a guilty plea to complicity in bribery but pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy and to defrauding Mario Camilleri and/or other people out of some Lm5,000 as he insisted that the amount was of Lm2,500.

Mr Zammit, known as Is-Sei, explained that about four weeks before the appeal judgment of Mario Camilleri was to be handed down, Mr Camilleri's son Pierre approached him and asked him to speak to Judge Patrick Vella.

Pierre Camilleri knew that Mr Zammit knew the judge as the judge's parents were Mr Zammit's neighbours.

A few days later Pierre Camilleri approached him again and, insisted that he speak to Judge Vella and ask him to reduce his father's jail term.

Then, on one occasion, Mr Zammit met the judge in Republic Street, Valletta, and asked him if he would help out his friend. The judge said he would not.

Meanwhile, Mr Zammit and Mr Grech Sant also spoke about approaching Judge Noel Arrigo, then chief justice, about the matter.

Mr Zammit explained to the court that Mario Camilleri's appeal was to be decided by Judges Vella, Arrigo and Joseph Filletti. He added that Mr Justice Filletti was never approached.

Some time later Pierre Camilleri told Mr Zammit that his father was willing to pay the judges Lm10,000 "worth of drink" each if they reached the agreement.

Pierre Camilleri later also told Mr Zammit that he too would benefit from Lm10,000 worth of drinks.

Mr Zammit went on to explain how he also met Judge Arrigo in Valletta and asked him if he would help out a friend of his, whose case was up for appeal.

Judge Arrigo told him that he would help if he could and then Mr Zammit told him that his friend was Mario Camilleri and he was willing to pay him Lm10,000.

Two days before the judgement was to be delivered Mr Zammit met Judge Vella again in Valletta and told him that there was a problem because Pierre Camilleri had told him he could only pay Lm5,000. The judge said he wanted the Lm10,000.

Mr Zammit said that, after the judgement was handed down, Pierre Camilleri gave him Lm2,000 instead of Lm10,000 which he accepted as he had no choice.

Pierre Camilleri also told him that he only had Lm10,000 for the judges, who would get Lm5,000 each.

Some time later, Judge Vella contacted him and they agreed to meet up near his (Mr Zammit's) house. The judge turned up in a car and Mr Zammit went and gave him a big, brown envelope containing Lm5,000.

He also explained how he handed over Lm5,000 to Judge Arrigo.

Mr Zammit also told the magistrate that he did what he did because he was in debt. He owed the bank Lm10,000 and several usurers Lm15,000 which he had borrowed at 30 per cent interest.

He also said that, although he had never been threatened by Mario Camilleri or his son, he felt under pressure.

When Magistrate Lofaro asked him if he was ashamed to have approached judges, he said that at the time he was not aware of the consequences.

He also assured the magistrate that, if a criminal were to ever approach him and ask the same thing out of him, he would go straight to the police.

Police Superintendent Pierre Calleja prosecuted.

Lawyer Chris Soler appeared for Mr Zammit.