The Council of the GRTU has expressed its solidarity with its president. Paul Abela, vice president Philip Fenech and director-general Vince Farrugia in the wake of evidence given in court last week.

In a statement, the council said it deplored the way how certain reports about the GRTU had been written  regarding the ongoing court case instituted by the police against Sandro Chetcuti.

Chetcuti stands accused of assaulting Mr Farrugia.

The council recalled that the police charged Mr Chetcuti the day after the assault after having taken statements within an hour from all those present in the GRTU offices on March 11, 2010, when the incident took place.

The police had arrived within minutes of the case and collected their evidence immediately.

"The council is satisfied that there was no influence in the evidence that was collected," the statement said.

"The persons present in the offices on March 11, 2010, including witness Sylvia Gauci, gave their statements to the police immediately after the assault and these are sufficient evidence to confirm what took place," the association said.

Last week Ms Gauci said she was changing evidence she had previously given under oath, claiming she had been told what to say initially.

However the GRTU council said it wanted to categorically deny that any meeting had been held during which instructions were given over how anyone should give evidence The council also denied that instructions had been issued to Ms Gauci, and reserved the right to take action.

The council also said that Ms Gauci was never an employee of the GRTU. She was an elected member of the GRTU council until she became executive secretary f the MCESD and therefore never fell under the influence of Mr Farrugia.

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