Relations between a man and a woman, who is accused of perjury that led to her husband being jailed for abusing their daughter, were such that trouble erupted even as their son lay dead on a hospital bed and again during his funeral.

Soon after the son passed away, there was a physical commotion and, at one point, the two even accidentally hit the corpse. Again, there was a commotion during the funeral when the coffin risked being toppled, Police Inspector Sandro Camilleri testified in the case against Lisa May Camilleri who is accused of perjury and corrupting witnesses.

She eventually broke down and admitted it was she who had lied

The prosecution is alleging that Mrs Camilleri persuaded her daughter to lie about her father, Emanuel, who spent nearly 400 days in jail after he was found guilty of defiling his daughter.

The 48-year-old was serving a two-year term but was provisionally released by order of the Constitutional Court pending the outcome of a case against his daughter and his former wife.

Mr Camilleri has always maintained his innocence.

Inspector Camilleri said Leanne Camilleri, now 20, had broken down and admitted she had made the whole story up.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia ruled there was enough prima facie evidence for the case against Mrs Camilleri to proceed. He rejected a request for bail, saying there was fear she would tamper with evidence.

Inspector Camilleri told the court that he had started investigating when Mr Camilleri, through his lawyer, Tonio Azzopardi, complained of miscarriage of justice, claiming that he was in jail because his ex-wife and daughter had lied, accusing him of rape.

The prosecution is alleging that Mrs Camilleri persuaded her daughter to lie about her father, Emanuel, who spent nearly 400 days in jail

The officer said that, on previous occasions, Ms Camilleri denied her father’s protestations and repeatedly said he was a liar. However, she eventually broke down and admitted it was she who had lied after having been coerced by her mother and other relatives. She added she was sorry for Police Inspector Louise Calleja, the prosecuting officer in her father’s case, who believed her.

The inspector said the police had also spoken to the girl’s former boyfriend who said that when she was about 15 she had said she had lied about her father. He also claimed that she had lied that she was pregnant and that the boyfriend was the father of the child.

He added that two people from Puttinu Cares had told him that Mr Camilleri used to daily visit his sick son, Luke, who eventually died of leukaemia. The mother only visited twice.

He rejected a request for bail, saying there was fear she would tamper with evidence

The police had to be called in because of trouble between the couple. It was at this point that the officer referred to the incidents by the side of the son’s deathbed and at his funeral.

Mr Camilleri said that when Mrs Camilleri was arrested, she denied everything, including police reports she had filed herself. There were many such reports against Mrs Camilleri between 2008 and 2013, including by the children and the husband. He said the children had run away from home 18 times.

‘Justice system is being turned into chewing gum’

There were several tense moments during the court sitting yesterday, characterised by constant bickering between the lawyers representing the mother and the father, Martin Fenech and Tonio Azzopardi.

Dr Fenech took umbrage at the “show” Dr Azzopardi had staged on the media, accusing him of “turning the justice system into chewing gum”. He said Dr Azzopardi was “trying to hijack the case after having hijacked the media” and accused him of trying to influence the court through the media.

Dr Azzopardi, in turn, said his colleague was being “ridiculous”, leading both lawyers to file complaints against each other and asking for protection. They eventually retracted their statements.

Turning to legal arguments, Dr Fenech said that, according to law, a confession could not be used as evidence against any other person. What was said by the daughter could not be used as evidence against the mother because no action had been taken yet against the daughter.

Moreover, he noted, the case against his client was time-barred. In reaction, Dr Azzopardi pointed out that the girl’s testimony only changed recently after his client filed a criminal complaint. The original version was dictated by the mother, the lawyer said.

Dr Fenech said the evidence the police had was hearsay and not first-hand proof.

However, the magistrate disagreed, saying there was enough evidence for the charges to subsist.

The case continues in July.