Motorist cleared of giving false testimony

A man was yesterday cleared of giving false testimony during a local tribunal traffic sitting when he claimed he had seen a warden reach into his car.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi cleared Raymond Martin, 47, of lying under oath and falsely accusing the warden of committing a crime he knew to be false, at the Zejtun local council tribunal, on July 14, 2005.

The court heard that on the day in question, Mr Martin appeared before the tribunal to answer to a series of traffic citations he had received. When he testified in his defence he said he had seen the warden, who had booked him, reach into his car through a broken window.

On hearing this, the tribunal chairman ordered that criminal action be taken against Mr Martin for lying under oath. The chairman also found him guilty of the traffic offences.

However, Magistrate Mizzi ruled he could not find Mr Martin guilty of the charges because his testimony had been corroborated by another witness during the court proceedings.

Police Inspector Joseph Agius prosecuted.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio was defence counsel.