PM 'was instrumental' in solving Mdina stabbing

The information provided by Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami in relation to the stabbing of his personal assistant in 1994 was vital in the solving of the case, former Police Commissioner George Grech said in court yesterday.

Mr Grech, who was testifying in the criminal libel proceedings against Glenn Bedingfield, also told Magistrate Michael Mallia the prime minister never interfered in the investigations or with regard to any arrests carried out.

Bedingfield is charged with libelling the prime minister with excerpts of his book Il-Gurament published in July 1999. The proceedings had been instituted against him at the request of the prime minister who felt defamed by certain extracts of the book.

Grech yesterday explained that when the stabbing took place he was the police commissioner as well as the chief investigator in the case.

On the day of the incident he was informed that there had been a stabbing in Mdina and when he arrived on the scene the prime minister informed him that the victim had been taken to hospital.

Grech continued investigations and kept the prime minister informed about any progress made.

"In 1996, the prime minister asked me for the photographs of Carmel Attard, who is known as Iz-Zambi, and Ian Farrugia and I gave them to him. The prime minister subsequently informed me that Joseph Fenech, known as Zeppi Il-Hafi, had informed him that Attard and Farrugia had stabbed Cachia Caruana," Grech said.

The prime minister wanted the photographs to show them to Fenech for identification purposes.

The witness explained that Attard and Farrugia were investigated and eventually arrested. Farrugia insisted that he was not involved in the stabbing although his palm print matched the one found on the victim's car.

"During investigations Attard insisted on speaking to the prime minister so I informed him and he came to speak to Attard in my office. I was not present during the meeting. Attard eventually admitted his involvement.

"I was later informed that the prime minister had decided to grant Fenech a presidential pardon [...] Although I initially disagreed with this decision I eventually came to believe that that was the only way to solve this case," he said.

Under cross examination, Grech said the police were not involved in the meetings the prime minister had with Fenech although he kept the police informed.

He said the prime minister had informed him that a certain Charles Borg, known as Is-Sunnara, had persuaded Fenech to speak up about the case but he did not investigate Borg because there was nothing that indicated his involvement.

He said the prime minister had spoken to Attard while he was under arrest, however this took place on Attard's request. "The information that the prime minister gave us was vital in solving the case since before we did not know who was involved," he said.

When he discussed a possible motive to the stabbing with the prime minister, when the case was still fresh, they thought that it could have either been a government decision or a matter of free masonry.

Eventually, when the front door of the daughter of George Micallef was set on fire and Daphne Caruana Galizia wrote an article in which she mentioned Meinrad Calleja, the motive took shape.

Micallef, Grech explained, was the man who the government sent to convince Maurice Calleja, Meinrad Calleja's father, to resign as commander of the armed forces.

The case continues.