A police inspector said in court today that a former Gozo Channel crewman had told the police that he had been helped by an HR manager to falsify a competence certificate.

The case came to light after ferry Captain Mario Grech refused to let the crewman work on board his ship after suspecting that his certificate was not authentic.

Angelo Demanuele, 50, is pleading not guilty.

Police Inspector Angelo Gafa told the court said that Angelo Demanuele had been in possession of a fake certificate which was given to him by Gozo Channel human resources manager Joseph Ancilleri.

Inspector Gafa said Mr Ancilleri had insisted with the police that the certificate was a real one, despite the fact that it was printed on white paper, instead of on the usual green.

However when the police spoke to Mr Demanuele, he admitted that in June/July last year that he falsified the document with the help of Mr Ancilleri.

The document certified Mr Demanuele as an efficient deck hand. In order to achieve that qualification, Mr Demanuele should have spent 12 months at sea.

In July last year, ferry captain Mario Grech asked Mr Demanuele for his certificate and when Mr Demanuele told him that he did not have one, he discharged him from his ship, the Malita.

The police inspector said that some time later, Mr Ancilleri gave Mr Demanuele the certificate and asked him to sign it. Mr Ancilleri allegedly told Mr Demanuele that if he did not have the certificate he could not work on the ship.

Meanwhile, Mr Demanuele attended a course in England and when he returned he presented the fake certificate to Captain Grech.

However, Captain Grech smelt a rat and still refused Mr Demanuele on his ship, Inspector Gafa said.