Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi declared on Tuesday that he was not after his “pound of flesh” when suing an activist who allegedly assaulted him outside PN headquarters last month.
Azzopardi said in court that he had never previously witnessed such aggressive behaviour at Dar Ċentrali, and he had filed a police complaint because such uncivilised behaviour at the PN headquarters could not be tolerated.
“I didn’t file a report just for my own sake but also to prevent similar incidents from occurring in respect of my colleagues,” said Azzopardi when testifying in summary proceedings against John Borg, a 45-year old Pieta’ resident.
Borg is facing charges for allegedly assaulting, insulting and threatening the MP as well as breaching the peace.
The man was among activists who gathered outside PN headquarters on July 24, awaiting members of the party’s executive committee on their way out of the building following a meeting that dragged into the early hours of the morning. The meeting discussed the future of party leader Adrian Delia.
It was close to 1.30am when Azzopardi had stepped outside with other party colleagues, stopping to chat with a small group of acquaintances whilst trying to remember where he had parked his car.
He said that as he stepped off the pavement, a “total stranger” brushed past him saying, “aħdar int, aħdar! M’hawnx bniedem aħdar izjed minnek!” (You are a vile person, no one is more vile than you).
At first Azzopardi did not realize that the stranger was referring to him.
“Issa taraħ wiċċ Alla, Jason!” the man continued.
“Are you addressing me?” Azzopardi had finally reacted.
“Yes, you!” replied the man who suddenly lunged at the MP, both fisted hands raised upwards.
It was the prompt and timely intervention of three police officers that avoided contact, Azzopardi explained, recalling how his aggressor had been ushered away, with one parting shot, “Niltaqghu jien u int Jason, niltaqgħu!” (We shall confront each other, Jason)
Azzopardi said he had been further upset when, upon looking up Borg’s Facebook page, he discovered insulting and threatening comments addressed to him and other MPs, even after the incident.
“I’m not after my pound of flesh. I don’t want him to go to jail, but he must understand that there’s a way to voice dissent,” Azzopardi concluded, while pointing out that it was only the tail end of the whole episode that had been captured on footage aired by One News.
That footage was filed by prosecuting Inspector Matthew Galea in court, together with statements by the policemen on duty outside party headquarters at the time.
Inspector Galea explained how Borg, when confronted by the report and the One News footage, had claimed that he never intended to be aggressive but had simply wanted to voice dissent.
John Debono, a PN activist who witnessed the incident, testified how he had been chatting with Azzopardi when the accused insulted the MP, repeatedly saying, “int ma taraħx wiċċ Alla!” (literally meaning 'you will not see the face of God') and other insults including, “joker.”
He suddenly heard a commotion and saw two persons push away the accused while another person led Azzopardi away.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Mario Mifsud, Azzopardi denied having removed his specs at the time of the incident, further denying that he had in any manner approached his alleged aggressor.
Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo adjourned the case to September.
Inspector Matthew Galea prosecuted.
Lawyers Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia assisted Azzopardi.
Lawyer Christian Camilleri was also defence counsel.