A soldier, promptly dismissed from the Armed Forces of Malta in 2018 after footage of a light-hearted moment with colleagues went viral on social media, vented his hurt and frustration when testifying in court last week.

Former bombardier Godwin Schembri took the witness stand during proceedings wherein he is requesting the judicial review of his dismissal, claiming it amounted to a “discriminatory” and “unreasonable” measure.

The video that sparked off Schembri’s ordeal showed the bombardier making disparaging comments against senior officers as he drove an army truck around a newly-installed gate on the Pembroke ranges. The army had erected the gate without building an adjoining fence, rendering it useless.

His superiors had taken his comments as a slight on the army and the bombardier was sacked. A wall on either side of the gate was then built.

“Your honour, just allow me a couple of minutes to get something off my chest,” said Schembri, no sooner had he taken the oath, addressing Judge Francesco Depasquale who is presiding over the case.

“While Godwin Schembri was joking with friends, there was allegedly a former assistant police commissioner giving information to a mastermind, a former police commissioner linked to a middleman, others serving as bodyguards to [former prime minister] Joseph Muscat having links to those in jail wanting bail,” said the applicant, holding up A4-sized photos for the judge to see.

Those photos, intended to support his references to recent revelations on Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination probe, were subsequently handed over to be formally inserted in the records of the case.

“The then-home affairs minister has since landed a different ministry, officers involved in the alleged racket have resigned and are enjoying a pension. But Godwin Schembri is here to fight [for his rights] because he was fired from the army,” said the man, expressing his “hurt.”

Schembri explained that following his dismissal, he had not immediately taken his grievances to court. He had first taken up the matter with [former home affairs minister] Michael Farrugia, but to no avail.

Godwin Schembri never authorised the sharing of the footage

“Then I went to the Office of the Prime Minister. God forbid if I were to tell you who I spoke to. He turned me away, telling me to file a court case,” he said.

After that, the soldier said he had turned to the president, “with a seven-month pregnant wife weeping in tow,” but all he got was, “I can do nothing.”

“Godwin Schembri was judged according to the law of Sweden, while those were judged according to the law of Mexico,” the applicant said.

The former army officer next questioned whether his superiors in the army had investigated “those persons” he had dismissed barely one year before his army gate incident.

“Those people” allegedly referred to seven soldiers Schembri had disciplined after finding out they were dodging guard duties outside the Valletta presidential palace.

The matter had allegedly surfaced after tourists were seen laughing while strolling past the palace, giggling at the empty guard boxes on St George’s Square.

At the time, Schembri, who described himself as “a very disciplined person,” was in charge of the ceremonial presidential guards.

A check of onsite footage had revealed seven soldiers who had allegedly been skipping duties for several weeks, the court was told.

“My only enemies were those against whom I firmly stood my ground. I dismissed those seven officers,” Schembri explained, adding that “two of them had been engaged through the minister.”

He said he could not understand how that video was published, insisting he had never authorised the sharing of the footage.

Earlier in the sitting, the court warned Schembri to refrain from posting further social media comments related to his lawsuit.

The case continues.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio, Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Mario Spiteri are assisting the applicant.