Ex minister wins €5,000 damages

Former government minister Louis Galea, now Speaker of the House, was yesterday awarded €5,000 libel damages for a press release issued in 1997 implying that he was somehow associated with drug trafficking.

The press release was written by journalist Joe Mifsud in April of that year under the title Se Nibqa Ngħid il-Verita' Akkost ta' Kollox (I will continue saying the truth no matter what).

Dr Galea claimed libel damages, describing Dr Mifsud's publication as an unjust and malignant frame-up.

At the time he was the Minister for Social Policy and Home Affairs. The press release, he submitted, implied that he was more concerned about his political future than with the fight against drugs and that he had something to hide.

Dr Mifsud countered that the press release was not libellous and that it constituted fair comment.

Mr Justice Gino Camilleri said the press release implied that Dr Galea had something to hide about drug trafficking and that he was not collaborating with the authorities in the search of drug importers.

The journalist had portrayed himself as a defender of youth while implying that Dr Galea was in some manner connected with drug trafficking and was protecting drug importers.

These allegations were unfounded and libellous, the court ruled.

Dr Mifsud had based his press release on the finding of Ciro del Negro's diary which contained names of persons allegedly involved in drug trafficking. Dr Galea was not mentioned in this diary although his brother was. However, Dr Galea's brother was not found to be connected with drug trafficking.