The chief of staff at the Home Affairs Ministry yesterday insisted he was never involved in the decision to terminate the deployment of television presenter Norman Vella with state broadcaster PBS.

Silvio Scerri said he learnt of the matter through the media.

He was testifying during libel proceedings he has instituted against television personality John Bundy over the latter’s claim that he had heard Mr Scerri issuing the order for the re-deployment of Mr Vella, previously an immigration officer, to be ended.

Mr Scerri repeatedly described Mr Bundy’s assertion as “a blatant lie” during the course of his testimony before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale.

He insisted it was made with the specific intention of tarnishing his reputation.

Mr Bundy testified before an Employment Commission earlier this month that he happened to be at the ministry when he heard Mr Scerri issue the order for Mr Vella to be returned to his job at the Immigration Department. He said Mr Scerri was speaking to a certain “Anton” at the time, ostensibly referring to PBS chief executive Anton Attard.

Mr Attard denies Mr Scerri ever spoke to him about the matter.

The commission had originally been told about this telephone call by Mr Vella, who learned about it during a chance meeting with Mr Bundy at the airport.

It was made with the specific intention of tarnishing reputation

Times of Malta reported Mr Vella’s testimony in June, after having confirmed the information with Mr Bundy. Mr Scerri filed libel proceedings over the story carried on June 5.

He told the court yesterday that the decision on re-deployment fell squarely with the Prime Minister’s Office so he did not see the need to involve himself, despite PBS and the Immigration Department both falling within the ministry’s responsibilities.

He said his only explanation about why Mr Bundy said this, as they were friends before the incident, was because he (Mr Bundy) “expected something from me that I could not give him”.

Under cross-examination, Mr Scerri said he never asked about Mr Vella’s case and had followed the matter only through the media.

However, he said he did not read the report quoting his ministry’s permanent secretary, Kevin Mahoney, telling an Employment Commission that it was he (Dr Mahoney) who had taken the decision to transfer Mr Vella.

Mr Scerri also contradicted Dr Mahoney’s testimony, saying he had never in fact discussed with him any complaints PBS received regarding Mr Vella’s political bias. He further denied calling Times of Malta to issue a denial on Mr Bundy’s claim soon after it was published on timesofmalta.com.

The case continues in December.

Lawyer Edward Gatt is appearing for Mr Scerri while lawyer Robert Abela is appearing for Mr Bundy.

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