A police inspector told a magistrate today how he felt “intimidated” and “humiliated” when lawyer Lynn Zahra publicly accused him of something he did not do.

Dr Zahra, the partner of former Labour Minister Joe Grima, allegedlymade false allegations on the Sliema Ferries in June last year, Police Inspector Jason Sultana claimed.

He was testifying during the case instituted by the police against Dr Zahra, where she stands charged with slander.

Inspector Sultana explained that the incident took place when he and another two police officers responded to her request for assistance over an attempted burglary from her residence.

The inspector said he and his colleagues were investigating a car fire when a report came in from Dr Zahra claiming she had seen three males trying to enter her apartment.

He claimed that when she came out of the apartment and saw him she started repeating false allegations about him, claiming that he had illicitly recorded a conversation they had had at the Sliema police station and handed it over to blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The inspector said the lawyer was shouting in a “loud, aggressive and intimidating voice” in front of passersby.

“She also said she would speak to the Police Commissioner and that, if he did nothing about it, she would go to the Prime Minister. I felt intimidated and threatened by her words,” the inspector said, adding that she also told him “the story won’t end here”.

Two police officers who were also on the scene corroborated the inspector’s version in court but Dr Zahra shouted out that one of them had not been present on the scene. She was promptly told by presiding Magistrate Josette Demicoli to be quiet.

Inspector Ramon Mercieca, from the Internal Affairs Unit, testified that the police had already investigated Dr Zahra’s claim and had dismissed it, having found no proof to support it. Ms Caruana Galizia also denied having obtained any recording from Inspector Sultana.

The inspector said that Dr Zahra was not satisfied with the outcome of that investigation and had challenged the police commissioner and the Attorney General to initiate criminal proceedings against him.

The case is still pending, with a decision expected in September.

 

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