Court dismisses MLP official's request in libel suit

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna yesterday dismissed a request by the Labour Party's education secretary Wenzu Mintoff for Public Broadcasting Services Ltd and Where's Everybody? to be called into a libel suit filed against him by Lou Bondì.

The court heard that Mr Bondì had sued Dr Mintoff for libel following allegations made in the programme Bondiplus broadcast on TVM on February 6.

Dr Mintoff pleaded that PBS, as the broadcaster of the programme and Where's Everybody? as its producer, ought to have been sued as well. He asked the court to call both entities into the suit. Dr Mintoff further pleaded that his speech constituted fair comment and was not libellous.

Magistrate Apap Bologna found against Dr Mintoff and said that if Where's Everybody? were to be called into the suit then Mr Bondì, as one of the firm's partners, would be suing himself and his partners for libel.

Dr Mintoff's request in respect of Where's Everybody? was therefore frivolous and totally unfounded.

When examining Dr Mintoff's request in respect of PBS, the court ruled that PBS had no legal interest in this litigation.

Dr Mintoff's request was therefore dismissed and the case put off for evidence to be heard on its merits.