Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, who is facing an impeachment motion, believes he was punished enough when he was excluded from “trips abroad”, loaded with extra court cases and taken off hearing Constitutional cases.

Times of Malta obtained a transcript of the judge’s testimony before the Commission for the Administration of Justice in October.

It quotes the judge saying that because of his alleged reluctance to abide by the watchdog’s rulings he had already been given “a punishment” for not renouncing his presidency of the Malta Olympic Committee.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco also cites “political motivation” behind the motion presented for his removal and says other members of the judiciary were not given the same treatment.

He goes on to accuse former chief justice Joseph Said Pullicino, who holds the position of Ombudsman, of interfering in something beyond his competence.

Read his comments before the Commission in Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com