Silvio Scerri, who was the chief of staff of former Home Affairs' Minister Manuel Mallia, this morning filed a libel suit against Nationalist Party newspaper In-Nazzjon.

Mr Scerri filed the suit against editor Alex Attard over an article published on November 24, that alleged that he told the minister's driver, PC Paul Sheehan, to lie and say he fired shots in the air during the November 19 Gzira shooting incident.

The article, entitled Paul Sheehan imgieghel jigdeb li spara fl-arja (Paul Sheehan forced to lie and say he fired shots in the air), was written after the shooting incident that led to the removal of the minister and to the arraignment of Mr Sheehan who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Stephen Smith who he allegedly fired two shots at his car after Mr Smith hit the minister's car.

The case turned into a political controversy after the government initially issued a statement saying Mr Sheehan had fired shots in the air. But it later resulted that Mr Smith's car had bullet holes in it. Questions were also raised about the way police handled the investigation with the Opposition putting pressure on the removal of the minister who was eventually asked to step down by the Prime Minister.