Hunters’ federation cases

The article Hunters’ Federation Official Charged (September 22), did not fail to remind readers that the same hunters’ federation council member “...had been charged with threatening journalist Julia Farrugia during an FKNK demonstration in Valletta in March 2007.”

In all fairness adding that the council member had then been acquitted from both the original charges and the subsequent appeal.

What, however, the reporter failed to add was that regarding the same demonstration which the Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) staged in Valletta on March 7, 2007, the FKNK had instituted a libel case against Ms Farrugia because of a slanderous article she had written. The FKNK won the case and was awarded damages.

On September 16, 2009, Mr Justice Philip Sciberras refuted the appeal that Ms Farrugia then made and reconfirmed the sentence that was originally handed down including the damages award of €465.88 plus court expenses of the two cases.