A magistrate’s decision finding outgoing PN general secretary in contempt of court and fining him €70 was revoked shortly after it was handed down this morning after it was established that Dr Borg Olivier had been in court all along.

Magistrate Edwina Grima had also issued a warrant of arrest against Dr Borg Olivier for not turning up for a court hearing.

Dr Borg Olivier had been called to appear in the court in the libel proceedings instituted against him by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia over allegations linking the latter to the Enemalta oil scandal.

He turned up in the courtroom at 9.50am and told reporters his lawyer had been working upstairs in the superior courts.

Together with his lawyer, Joseph Zammit Maempel, he waited his turn in the courtroom until other cases were heard.

Dr Zammit Maempel said he was in court at 9am and was informed that Dr Mallia was not going to be in court so he expected the case to be deferred.

Magistrate Grima said that there was no need for Dr Mallia to be in court but Dr Zammit Maempel insisted that Dr Mallia had to be there for the first sitting.

The fine and warrant for Dr Borg Olivier’s arrest were then revoked.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Robert Vella said he received a criminal complaint from Dr Mallia and Dr David Farrugia Sacco about two articles appearing on the maltarightnow linking them to the oil scandal.

Dr Borg Olivier, he said, had released a police statement and answered all questions.

He had confirmed that the site belonged to the PN but said that he did not know who published the said articles, which were a report of a press conference.

Maltarightnow, he said, did not have a registered editor with the DOI.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Sandro Camilleri, confirmed his colleague's testimony and the police statements.

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