Sliema’s former Nationalist mayor Nikki Dimech has been generally interdicted for life, which means he will not be able to hold public office again.

Mr Dimech, 33, was sentenced to one year in prison on Monday for bribing the Sliema local council’s former contracts manager in 2010.

He was acquitted of having threatened or insulted Police Inspector Angelo Gafà, who headed the investigation.

Mr Dimech will be appealing.

In the judgment, which was only made available yesterday, Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit also handed down a general perpetual interdiction, which in a criminal case denies the individual the right to hold public office.

The court had heard how the former contracts manager, Stephen Buhagiar, was asked by Mr Dimech how much he was ready to “offer”, such as five or 10 per cent commission, to secure him the job.

Mr Buhagiar said he immediately told him that with a salary of €1,200 per month (attached to the contracts manager’s position) he could not do so, especially having to look after his family. After that, he never heard the matter being mentioned again.

Five months into the job, however, he noticed that certain things were being done to his detriment and he then lost his job.