A cleaning company has accused the Cospicua council of ignoring a court of appeal decision which had ordered it to terminate a contract and start the adjudication process afresh.

WM Environmental Ltd said that all the council had done in the four months since the court’s decision was to replace its lawyer, Luciano Busuttil, who the court found had advised both the council and the bidder selected for the contract.

The matter had been referred to the Commission for the Administration of Justice for an investigation.

In January last year, the council issued a call for tenders for the collection of domestic waste. It was awarded to bidder Saviour Mifsud, Dr Busuttil’s client, after other bids, including that of WM, had been disqualified.

In November, the Appeals Court upheld WM’s appeal and annulled the award of the tender to Mr Mifsud.

But in a judicial protest filed in court, WM claimed that even though four months had passed, the council had failed to respect the court’s decision and all it had done was replace Dr Busuttil.

In the meantime, Mr Mifsud continued to carry out the duties of the same contract that was meant to be terminated.

The company, therefore, called on the council to terminate the contract and start the adjudication process afresh as ordered by the Appeals Court. It also held the council responsible for damages.

Lawyer John Bonello signed the protest.