A restaurateur claimed today that the star witness in the police case against former inspector and lawyer David Gatt is 'a liar from A to Z'.

The restaurateur, Raymond Abela, of St Paul's Bay, was referring to PC99 who had given testimony against Dr Gatt, who stands charged with masterminding major crimes including the failed heist on HSBC bank headquarters, the failed attack on a cash van and a hold-up on an Attard jeweller.

Testifying, Mr Abela said that just before Christmas last year he received a call from his daughter at the restaurant who told him that the police were searching the restaurant for drugs. He went straight to the restaurant in Xemxija. Once the search was completed, the police searched his house. Nothing was found in both cases.

Three months later while he was preparing a party, a police sergeant asked him to go to police headquarters.He went there and was, unexpectedly, held for 46 hours.

Inspector Chris Pullicino interrogated him and showed him a photo of PC99 who had dined at his restaurant with David Gatt. The inspector told him that PC 99 claimed that he (Mr Abela) had handed drugs, for free, to David Gatt.

Mr Abela said he flatly denied the claim. He used to drink and smoke, but he had never, ever, touched drugs, he said.

The police during the interrogation continued to pressure him to say something against David Gatt. Mr Abela said he had known Dr Gatt for over 10 years - when he was a police inspector in Rabat -  but could not say anything against him.

The inspector also told him that PC99 alleged that he (Mr Abela) had spoken to Dr Gatt in Italian and kissed his hand.

"I do not evenspeak or write in Italian," Mr Abela said.

Mr Abela said he was kept under arrest for 46 hours, much to the distress of his family, all because of this 'liar' PC99.

The witness said Inspector Pullicino had also questioned him about a murder. He had mentioned a name, but he did not know who he was speaking about.

The case continues.