Labour Party deputy leader Toni Abela this afternoon denied putting pressure on a police officer, as claimed in court earlier in the day.
Richard Vella, of Attard, this morning claimed that Dr Abela had put pressure on the police not to arraign him and local councillor John Bonnici, with whom he had been involved in a fight, because the case would attract a lot of media attention.
Mr Vella used to run the Attard's Labour Party bar. His lawyer Edward Gatt this morning read out his client’s statement to the police in which his client made the allegations about Dr Abela.
Mr Vella had told the police Dr Abela had put pressure on a police officer, a Labour supporter, not to arraign Mr Vella and Mr Bonnici for the time being as the case would attract a lot of media attention.
Both men were arraigned several months later.
Mr Vella had told the police that Dr Abela had sent him a letter telling him he was no longer a member of the committee and could not enter the club. The other members of the committee then went to Dr Abela to vouch for Mr Vella.
During the meeting, Dr Abela had claimed he had gone to the police station, found a policeman who was a Labourite and told him not to proceed with the case since it would end up being reported in the media.
The meeting between the committee and Dr Abela had been recorded and a copy of the recording had been passed on to Mr Vella.
Mr Vella had told the police that a number of people, including his girlfriend, journalist Karl Stagno Navarro, Attard mayor Norbert Pact and Nationalist MP David Agius, were aware of the recordings.
Addressing a news conference this afternoon, Dr Abela categorically denied the claims and cast doubts on Mr Vella's credibility saying he was a former soldier and should see why he was no longer so. He even said that Mr Vella lived in a house called Dar Dartuni.
Dr Abela said he had always been honest.
"I have not done anything wrong and I am surprised at such declarations... I was never called in for questioning by the police," he said, adding that the police would surely have taken action if someone exerted pressure on a public official.
Dr Abela said this case took place some three years ago and he had disciplined Mr Vella in the past. He had thrown him out of the club and the committee because he felt he was not suitable for the post.