News • 08 December 2002

Joe Cilia reacts to allegations of harassment

"I refer to your front page article published in your newspaper MaltaToday of the 1st December, 2002, written by Matthew Vella and entitled "Labour MP Joe Cilia questioned by Police in alleged harassment case". In view of certain allegations made in my regard in this said article, I would like to state by way of contradiction and explanation, the following:

1. The article states that "an alleged harassment case seems to have been quietly signed off". In my regard, there was never any need for anyone to "sign off" any case. I categorically deny ever having given cause to or in any way having caused any act of harassment whatsoever, particularly that mentioned in your article. Hence, any report, allegation or insinuation made in this sense is completely false and unfounded.

2. It is totally untrue that the Police in connection with this alleged case ever sent for me. Well over three years ago, I was telephonically asked by a certain Carmelo Chetcuti from Qawra, who at the time was at the Zebbug, Malta Police Station, to go there and confirm, that I had been using a car with a specific registration number, which number today I have no recollection of. Since then and to date, the Police never sent for me about this nor any other case, never interrogated me, never informed me that I was or am being investigated about this, or any other case, and no proceedings of whatsoever legal nature were ever instituted against me either by the Police or by any third party, including the alleged woman, who according to your article, made an allegation against me.

3. From reading the said article, I got to know for the first time, that the above mentioned Carmelo Chetcuti from Qawra, made a report to the police on the 11th August, 2002, that this alleged incident took place some three and a half years before. It does not require extreme intelligence for one to see, that it seems so evident, therefore, that Carmelo Chetcuti's allegation, was intended as a malicious attack on my integrity with a view to tarnish my reputation, thus causing me political prejudice. I know for a fact, now, that Mr Carmelo Chetcuti tried other avenues and sources to throw bad light on my character, by repeating this story. These other sources saw through him and refused to be his spokesmen. Unfortunately it appears that Carmelo Chetcuti succeeded, when he approached your newspaper. Conveniently, it seems, that Carmelo Chetcuti found allegations. As stated in the article, when Mr Matthew Vella, the author of this article, confronted me with the facts of this allegation, I had very clearly denied same. I had also pointed out that it was not fair to rely on the unfounded allegation of Carmelo Chetcuti, thus causing me unnecessary unjust hardship and harm.

4. I hereby publicly inform Carmelo Chetcuti with whom I had and still have certain legal disputes, that his actions, rather than weaken me, strengthen my political career, strengthen the unity of my family, as well as strengthen my determination to continue to serve the electorate of the 4th District, thus to continue giving my modest contribution to the Labour Party in whose name I have been elected to Parliament for the last three General Elections.

5. Finally, I thank my wife, children, family, constituents, friends, party officials, colleagues, MP's from both sides of the House and many supporters who, upon reading this article, have expressed their solidarity and respect.