A witness who had retracted a statement given under oath during criminal proceedings against Sandro Chetcuti said in court today that this happened sometime after a “brief and coincidental” meeting.

However, she denied ever discussing the merits of the case with Mr Chetcuti or that he had offered her money to change her version of events.

Sylvia Gauci was testifying during criminal proceedings against GRTU president Paul Abela, 65, from Naxxar, deputy president Philip Fenech, 61, from Sliema and retired director general Vince Farrugia, 72, from St Paul’s Bay who are pleading not guilty to perjury and subornation of witnesses.

The case which is being heard before Magistrate Doreen Clarke is over their alleged involvement in an attempt to distort the course of justice in a criminal case against Mr Chetcuti, who had been convicted of assaulting Mr Farrugia in his GRTU office in 2010.

In her police statement as well as during the court proceedings against Mr Chetcuti, Ms Gauci had testified she had seen Mr Chetcuti beating Mr Farrugia on the floor. However, in November 2012, she corrected her statement in court saying she had not witnessed the actual incident but only heard some groans of pain and commotion from Mr Farrugia's office.

Cross-examined by defence lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell, Ms Gauci today confirmed that that she had met Mr Chetcuti by coincidence at a Mellieħa cafeteria some time before she changed her version.

However, she insisted that it was a very brief encounter in which Mr Chetcuti just asked her about her son’s condition, as he had undergone an operation. The witness insisted that no reference was ever made to the assault case or the then pending criminal proceedings against Mr Chetcuti. She also vehemently denied ever being offered money to change her version of events.

She also pointed out that she had met Mr Chetcuti only on one other occasion, once again by chance while she was at a Valletta café. She reiterated that even this time she had not discussed the case with Mr Chetcuti.

Questioned by lawyer Edward Gatt, who was appearing parte civile for Mr Chetcuti, the witness said during the period of time until she was due to give evidence in court, she had received calls and text messages from Mr Farrugia who urged her to speak to his son, a lawyer, on this case.

“He [Mr Farrugia] had asked me to stick to the version given at the police station, that I saw Sandro beating him. They also asked me to go pick up a paper containing the statement made in front of the police inspector to ensure that I would stick to this version,” the witness said.

Ms Gauci, repeatedly remarked that on the day of the incident she had “heard more than she had actually seen”. She added that after a deep reflection she decided to correct her initial version which she had given under oath in court, and thus clarified that she had never witnessed the accused beating Mr Farrugia.

The case continues next month.

Police inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted while lawyer Steve Tonna Lowell was defence counsel. Lawyer Edward Gatt appeared for Mr Chetcuti.