Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and colleagues in a law firm have won libel damages in a case instituted over a political advert issued by the Labour Party and published on l-orizzont and KullHadd and One TV in August 2009.

The advert was headed 'Ghal ta' Gewwa' and referred to the transfer by the Lands Department of two disused rooms in Valletta to a law firm which Dr Busuttil was part of.

The case was filed by Dr Busuttil, Dr Peter Fenech and Dr Austin Sammut against Frans Ghirxi, former editor of l-orizzont, Daniel Micallef, president of the Labour Party, Lydia Abela, party secretary, Glenn Bedingfield, then editor of One TV and Felix Agius, then editor of KulHadd.

The court heard how the offices formed part of the same office block of the law firm and in a call for tenders by the Lands Department, the firm had been granted the right of first refusal. The offices were transferred to the law firm after it was asked to match the highest bid that was received by the  Department.

The court found that defence pleas of fair comment and public interest were not sufficient, given that this issue involved two disused rooms which were being rented after the highest bid in a call for tenders was matched. That the law firm had been given the right of first refusal was normal in such circumstances when the offices formed part of its own office block.

The court ordered the accused Mr Ghirxi, Mr Micallef, president of the Labour Party, Dr Abela, party secretary to pay €1,000, Mr Bedingfield to pay €3,000 and Mr Agius €3,000 in damages.