Contractor Bastjan Dalli claimed yesterday that while under arrest at the police depot he was offered freedom if he implicated his brother, former minister John Dalli, in a Mater Dei Hospital scandal.

Mr Dalli was testifying in court proceedings in which he stands accused of conspiring to deal in cannabis in December 2008 and violating police bail conditions when he travelled to Libya.

He told Magistrate Miriam Hayman that while in a holding cell at police headquarters in Floriana in December 2008 a person came to the hatch in the door and told him he had a proposition.

The man, who Mr Dalli said he could not identify, told him that if he admitted that his brother, now a European Commissioner, was involved in a scandal over the award of a contract to supply medical equipment to the hospital, he would be freed.

Under cross examination, Mr Dalli said he could not identify the person because the hatch was only six inches wide. However, he said the person was a man and had a deep voice. Neither was he able to say what time of day it was because it was dark inside and he was disorientated.

He said he immediately told the person to go away and informed his brother, who at the time was Social Policy Minister, about the incident soon after. According to Mr Dalli, his brother said he would inform the Police Commissioner but he was not sure whether that had actually happened.

Mr Dalli, who is on bail, testified after requesting permission through his lawyer, Veronique Dalli, to leave the country and attend to business in Libya. The issue will be decided next week.

The case continues.

Police Superintendent Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.