Woman accused of false allegations against journalist

A couple turned up for an appointment at the office of the Prime Minister (OPM) where they told secretaries there they had paid a person Lm500 in exchange for a job, a court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Angelo Gafà told Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera how Triza Grima and her partner Lee Degiorgio claimed they paid a certain Pluto the Lm500 outside the Nationalist Party's headquarters in exchange for a job, for Mr Degiorgio, in the Armed Forces.

They also alleged that Pluto had handed the money over to Robert Cutajar, a sports journalist at Net TV (housed at the PN headquarters).

Inspector Gafà was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Ms Grima who is pleading not guilty to making false allegations against Mr Cutajar on June 1 at the OPM. The inspector explained how, on June 1, the couple had an appointment at the OPM where they spoke to two secretaries and told them what had happened.

On hearing this the secretaries informed the police and, following advice given by the police, they called Mr Degiorgio in for another appointment.

During this second meeting, Inspector Gafà was present but initially he did not identify himself as a police officer. When Mr Degiorgio repeated the story, the inspector identified himself as a police officer.

On speaking to police, Mr Cutajar said he knew a person known as Pluto but denied ever accepting money for such a purpose and denied knowing Ms Grima.

Lawyer Edward Gatt appeared for Ms Grima.