Kurt Farrugia, the prime minister’s spokesman, has won a libel case instituted by Edgar Galea Curmi, the head of former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s secretariat in July 2011.

The case was instituted when Mr Farrugia was One News editor.

Mr Galea Curmi was aggrieved by an interview with journalist Saviour Balzan where it was claimed that he had used his influence with the Commissioner of Police regarding a case involving Cyrus Engerer and his father. It was also claimed that Mr Galea Curmi had tried to use the press to put other people in a bad light.

At the time of the case, Mr Galea Curmi had been contacted by Cyrus Engerer who sought his help for a case involving his father, who was being questioned by the police. Mr Galea Curmi had phoned the Commissioner of Police to ask what was happening.

The court in its deliberations considered the facts of the case, public interest and the fact that Mr Galea Curmi was a public person.

It decided that the report was in the public interest and should have been broadcast in the interests of pluralism and tolerance.