There are sufficient grounds for former John Dalli canvasser Silvio Zammit to be sent to trial, a magistrate ruled on Thursday.
The former aide and canvasser to European Commissioner John Dalli stands accused of seeking two bribes, including a €60 million bribe from a Swedish snus tobacco producer in order to influence changes to an EU tobacco directive while Mr Dalli was EU Health Commissioner.
Read: Two bribe requests ‘made by Zammit’
A key witness in the compilation of evidence against Mr Zammit, Inge Delfosse, had refused to travel to Malta to testify, fearing that she risked incriminating herself by doing so.
The prosecution’s insistence on having this witness testify, in spite of her persistent refusal, had prompted a constitutional application by Mr Zammit’s defence team arguing that this stalemate constituted a breach to their client’s fundamental right to a fair hearing.
The First Hall, Civil Court had upheld the claim stating that Mr Zammit’s rights had indeed been breached and that such breach would subsist unless the prosecution obtained Ms Delfosse’s deposition as soon as possible or else declare that it had no further evidence to produce.
When the criminal…
