Lawyer Lynn Zahra has been charged with defaming Police Inspector Jason Sultana.

Lawyer Lynn Zahra was herself in the dock yesterday, charged with defaming a police inspector she accused of secretly recording her.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana told Magistrate Josette Demicoli he felt “intimidated” and “humiliated” when Dr Zahra publicly accused him of something he had not done.

Dr Zahra, partner of former Labour Cabinet minister Joe Grima, allegedly made the false accusations at the Sliema Ferries on June 2 last year at about 2pm. She pleaded not guilty.

Mr Sultana said the incident took place when he and another two police officers responded to her request for assistance over an attempted burglary from her residence. Dr Zahra reported that she had seen three males trying to enter her apartment.

He testified that when she came out of the apartment and spotted him she began making false allegations about him, claiming that he had illicitly recorded a conversation they had had at the Sliema police station and then handed over the recording to blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia.

She also said she would speak to the Police Commissioner

The officer said the lawyer was shouting in a “loud, aggressive and intimidating voice” in front of passers-by.

“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,” Mr Sultana said, adding that she also told him: “The story won’t end here.”

Two police officers accompanying Mr Sultana corroborated what he said in court. At one point, Dr Zahra shouted out that one of them had not even been present at the scene and Magistrate Josette Demicoli promptly asked her to be quiet.

Police 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 what she had alleged.

Ms Caruana Galizia also denied having obtained any recording from Mr Sultana.

Mr Mercieca said Dr Zahra was not satisfied with the outcome of their investigation and had challenged the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr Sultana.

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

Dr Zahra is alleging that Mr Sultana had recorded a meeting between them when they were discussing possible criminal libel proceedings against Ms Caruana Galizia. She accuses him of then forwarding the recording to the columnist.

Ms Caruana Galizia posted a blog saying that someone had recorded Ms Zahra discussing the libel proceedings at the Sliema police station. The blogger has denied receiving anything from the officer.

Dr Zahra said that only Mr Sultana and Police Superintendent Ray D’Anastas were present for the meeting. She alleged that, during the meeting, Mr Sultana placed his mobile phone on the desk.

She filed the challenge proceedings before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja after feeling “aggrieved” by the fact that the two former police commissioners had “swept the matter under the carpet”.