The relationship between Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi and Lindsey Gambin, his communications coordinator, was “purely professional”, a magistrate heard yesterday.

Ms Gambin, a former One News journalist until she joined the minister’s private secretariat after the 2013 general election, told Magistrate Francesco Depasquale that the affair alleged by blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia was “untrue”.

She was testifying during criminal libel proceedings filed by Dr Mizzi against the blogger over a blog posted last November in which it was alleged the minister was having an affair with Ms Gambin. Ms Gambin insisted that her relationship with the minister was purely professional.

Ms Gambin said that what the blogger alleged was untrue, “especially in those circumstances”. She was referring to the part of the blog that claimed that she had been seen in an intimate embrace with the minister at the Cigar Room of the Hilton Malta Hotel.

Under cross examination, Ms Gambin admitted to having been in that particular room with the minister, attending a meeting. When asked with whom, she said that all she could remember was that they were foreigners and one of them was called Darren.

Asked whether she had ever gone abroad with Dr Mizzi, Ms Gambin confirmed she had travelled twice “on work trips” and once to attend a course. Testifying in a previous sitting, Dr Mizzi vehemently denied ever kissing Ms Gambin or ever engaging in an intimate embrace, as was alleged by Ms Caruana Galizia.

“[The blogger] said the relationship with Lindsey Gambin was an open secret among members of the press and politicians. This is far from an open secret but completely absurd. Worse than that she claimed that we were seen in an intimate embrace. This is blatant lie, beyond imagination. I never kissed her or intimately embraced her,” he said.

The case continues.

Lawyer Joe Zammit Maempel appeared for Ms Caruana Galizia, while lawyer Edward Gatt ap-peared for Ms Gambin.