Enemalta chairman Frederick Azzopardi said in court today that he had followed the law in threatening to cut a man's electricity supply if money owed for electricity theft was not paid - after the man asked Enemalta not to cut the supply because his wife would leave him.

Mr Azzopardi was speaking during challenge proceedings instituted by the man, Anthony Camilleri from Zurrieq, which would force the police to prosecute Mr Azzopardi for having allegedly taken the law into his own hands.

Mr Camilleri had previously filed a criminal complaint against Mr Azzopardi but the police did not find enough evidence to proceed.

Mr Azzopardi testified today that Mr Camilleri was found to have a tampered meter in 2010, while the meter was being changed. After the meter was changed, electricity consumption in the house more than tripled despite the number of occupants going down.

Mr Camilleri signed an agreement with Enemalta to pay back more than €2000. The agreement specified that Enemalta could cut the electricity supply if the money was not paid.

An official letter was sent to Mr Camilleri in April 2014, and when payment was not made, a further letter was sent in February 2015 informing him that as per the agreement, his supply would be cut.

Mr Camilleri's lawyer, Joseph Mifsud, wrote to Enemalta four days later stating that his client did not agree that he owed any money to Enemalta.

When Enemalta personnel went on site to cut the supply, Mr Camilleri called Mr Azzopardi personally, asking him not to proceed as, among other reasons, his wife would leave him.

Mr Camilleri agreed to pay the amount owed, however when personnel visited him to collect the money, he said he had received legal advice not to pay.

Mr Azzopardi again started action to cut the electricity supply, but received a phone call from Dr Mifsud, who said he had no legal right to do so.

Mr Camilleri eventually paid the amount by cheque, but wrote on the cheque itself that he was doing so under protest.

His lawyer then sent a letter to Enemalta, stating that his client had only paid under threat, because Enemalta had no legal right to cut the electricity supply and was doing so under its own authority.

Under cross-examination, Mr Azzopardi said the original agreement signed with Mr Camilleri did not contain the amount to be paid but that Mr Camilleri was informed of the amount in two separate official letters. The estimate was reached jointly between Mr Camilleri and Enemalta and had been open to review.

Lawyer Stefano Filletti appeared in parte civile for Mr Azzopardi. Magistrate Aaron Bugeja deferred the case until January 11.