A government official was taken to court on Monday after having allegedly asked for €500 to help a man solve a social accommodation problem when he worked in the social housing department. 

Carmel Spiteri from Vittoriosa pleaded not guilty to having, in August 2017  solicited payment for the performance of a duty within his office.

Another public official, Samantha Zerafa, testified how one day a client turned up, airing a grievance concerning a housing problem.

The man had applied for social accommodation a long time previously but had since been told that his file could not be traced.

Ms Zerafa said she accompanied the client to Mr Spiteri’s office within the Social Solidarity Ministry, leaving the two men to trash out the problem.

Some time later, the same man had returned and told her that Mr Spiteri had asked for €500 so as to help sort out his housing problem.

Ms Zerafa told him that she would have to reveal what had happened to her minister, Chris Fearne, who then asked to meet the client. 

During that meeting, which she attended, the client confirmed how Mr Spiteri had asked him to fork out some €500, to help address his grievance.

He also claimed to have recordings of the conversations wherein such monetary requests were made.

The case continues.

The court is presided by Magistrate Simone Grech.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.