Former Opposition Leader Alfred Sant was awarded €3,000 damages after a court found he had been libelled during a 2004 radio broadcast presented by Nationalist MEP David Casa.

Dr Sant, together with the Malta Labour Party, had filed his writ before Magistrate Silvio Meli against Pierre Portelli and Mr Casa.

He claimed both him and the party had been libelled in the course of the programme Ngħiduha Kif Inhi broadcast on Radio 101 in February 2004. Mr Portelli was editor of the radio station and Mr Casa presented the programme.

Dr Sant told the court that in the course of the programmes two telephone calls had been aired. Both callers alleged that he had defended convicted drug trafficker Meinrad Calleja and that there was some high ranking official within the MLP who was involved in drug trafficking with Mr Calleja.

According to Dr Sant, Mr Casa told both callers that they were right and that their allegations were logical. The court found that Dr Sant's complaints about Mr Casa were justified. Mr Casa was presenting the radio programme and knew about the procedures to be followed when libellous allegations were made for he was empowered to delay the transmissions. Mr Casa had failed to do so and had told the callers they were in the right and that their allegations were logical.

Mr Casa also failed to prove the truth of the allegations made against Dr Sant.

However, the court ruled that, in terms of law, no libel action could be brought by an organisation and it therefore dismissed the action filed by the MLP. The court also exonerated Mr Portelli from any blame for the libel.

The court found Mr Casa guilty of libel and ordered him to pay €3,000 damages to Dr Sant.