An Adrian Delia supporter, sued for libel by PN MP Jason Azzopardi, said that he had simply exercised his former membership rights when posting “certain questions” on Facebook last summer.

“I had asked 13 questions. One of those was directed at the Honorable Jason Azzopardi. As party member at the time, I had a right to ask certain questions,” said Vincent Borg, known as Censu l-iswed, when taking the witness stand this week. 

He was referring to a series of questions posted on his Facebook page, one of which had implied that Azzopardi used to visit Portomaso “to meet with a working girl.”

At the time, Facebook was buzzing with comments between rival factions within the party, and one of the anti-Delia group was Azzopardi, Borg said.

“I never offended him. I protected him on his way in and out of party headquarters.”

Although he had received replies to some of his questions, such as by MP Claudette Buttigieg and “the matter stopped there”, Azzopardi had offered no reply but had instead sued for libel, Borg said.

But when pressed by presiding magistrate Rachel Montebello to explain the purpose behind the allegedly defamatory question, Borg repeated that he had asked Azzopardi just as he had asked others.

“As then-PN member I felt entitled to ask.”

Under cross-examination, he said that the reference to “working girl” could have meant any working woman, such as “a maid” or “receptionist.”

Within minutes he had removed the post, Borg confirmed, denying having first simply removed the part concerning Azzopardi and only subsequently taking down the rest of his comments.

“I believe I removed everything,” said Borg, when challenged by lawyer Joseph Zammit Maempel.

“Why did you mention a particular hotel,” asked Borg's lawyer, Mario Mifsud.

“Because Azzopardi used to go there... Didn’t everyone know?! All Malta knew. He himself said so,” insisting that the sole purpose behind his post was “to ask questions".

His testimony wrapped up the evidence stage.

Final submissions are expected in April.

Lawyer Kris Busietta also assisted the applicant.