Silvio Zammit, the man accused of bribery and trading in influence when John Dalli was EU Commissioner for Health, claimed today that a lawyer who was very close to the PN had in 2012 offered him a presidential pardon if he gave evidence against Mr Dalli.

Mr Zammit made his claim to the press outside a courtroom this morning.

He said he had immediately turned down the offer because he could not say anything which was not true.

Mr Zammit added that when he was held under arrest, former Police Commissioner John Rizzo, in the presence of other police officers had told him.."so take everything upon yourself once you do not wish to say anything."

Mr Zammit claimed that Mr Rizzo used to switch off the tape recorder and ask him what Mr Dalli's share would be, how many millions he would take, but Mr Zammit said he always told him to switch on the recording again.

But when the recording was switched back on and Mr Zammit asked Mr Rizzo to repeat his questions, Mr Rizzo denied having asked them.

Mr Zammit said that last year he handed his computer hard disk and other evidence but nothing had been presented in court, despite the duty of the police to present all evidence, for or against the accused.

Had that happened, media speculation would have ended, and action could have been taken against whoever was involved in this mess, Mr Zammit said.

"I can only say that Mr Dalli was not involved in this whole issue. He did not know what was happening and did not know who would call to speak to him in the two meetings in which I was involved in August 2011 and January 2012," Mr Zammit says.

Mr Zammit made his statement after his court case was put off because a witness was abroad. Lawyers Edward Gatt and Kris Busietta complained in court that this was the third time that the case had been put off.

Dr Gatt said that while everyone was issuing letters and making threats, Mr Zammit was undergoing criminal proceedings. Inge Delfosse, Giovanni Kessler and others knew they had committed a number of illegalities and they knew that as soon as they set foot on the island, requests would be made to the police for them to be investigated.

He said it seemed there was a general apathy in this case. If the foreign witnesses were not going to testify, the case could be declared closed.

The court was today due to hear evidence by lawyer Kenneth Grima, representing Swedish Match, but he sought a postponement because he is abroad.

 

 

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