The Police Commissioner testified in court this morning that a priest had gone to police headquarters and handed him €11,650 in August 2002 but he did not tell him who had given him this money.

Commissioner John Rizzo was giving evidence in the trial of former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo, who stands charged with bribery to alter a judgement on appeal.

Mr Rizzo said the police had intercepted telephone calls which involved a judgment which was going to be handed down.

He recalled arresting and interrogating Joseph Zammit and Anthony Grech Sant. Mr Zammit had cooperated immediately and Mr Grech Sant first denied everything but then released a statement.

Mr Rizzo said the Chief Justice was promised €23,000 for altering a judgment. He said he had spoken to Dr Arrigo for a long time and had a recorded 270-page statement during which the accused said he was pressured to help out.

Dr Arrigo knew Mr Grech Sant, who had approached him, as they were old Edwardians, and the former chief justice was also involved in football and knew Mr Zammit from there.

Dr Arrigo said he never did what he did for the money but out of friendship. He always categorically denied he received money. Dr Arrigo was arrested on August 1 and again on August 3.

Mr Rizzo said that one of the directors of Dr Arrigo’s company, Joe Galea, had said that on the day the judgment was handed down, Mr Grech Sant went to the office with a present for Dr Arrigo.

But on that day, Mr Galea was actually in Comino and he could have never have heard or seen Mr Grech Sant go to the offices. He admitted that the former chief justice had asked him to say what he had said because he needed him as a witness in the case.

He said the chief justice was given Lm1,500.

Mr Rizzo said that Dr Arrigo admitted he had made a mistake and insisted he had never taken money.

Although each judge had been promised €23,000, Mario Camilleri, the accused, could not pay that amount and only gave €11,650 to two. Mr Justice Filletti was not involved and not given any money.

See also:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091111/local/trial-of-former-chief-justice-prosecutor-stresses-seriousness-pof-case

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091111/local/recording-of-former-chief-justices-statement-to-the-police-being-heard-in-court