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The expectation in the courtroom was evident, but the Prime Minister’s legal representative chose to avoid asking what could have been pertinent questions.
The last time dismissed police inspector David Gatt was in court current Police Commissioner John Rizzo gave evidence and alleged that when he was a police inspector Gatt had told a suspect how he could avoid police suspicion.
Rizzo had gone on to explain in some detail how David Gatt had communicated with one of the suspects in a police investigation into the theft of more than Lm1 million in cash from Group 4 in 2000.
According to Rizzo “not only did he communicate more than once, but he communicated in such a way so as to give certain information as to how the suspect should act to police suspicion.”
The Police Commissioner had told the court that David Gatt had phoned George l-Piccolli, one of the suspects in the Group 4 theft who was eventually charged with the crime. But asked if he heard a conversation over the phone, Rizzo limited himself to saying the information was very reliable.
It was expected yesterday that Gatt would be drilled on the accusations made, but the Prime Minister’s lawyer from the Attorney General’s office avoided the issue.
Gatt was asked instead whether there was a contradiction in the fact that he first claimed not to know why he was dismissed and then thought it may have had something to do with the fact that former Commissioner George Grech was enamoured with the same police woman that Gatt was dating.
Gatt said that there was no contradiction, that he did not know why he was removed from the force and that he only suspected it may have had something to do with Grech’s jealousy over the woman.
Gatt was also asked about his early years in the police force and his promotion to inspector, as well as whether his dismissal was ever explained to him. Gatt repeated what he had already said in court that he was selected as an inspector, but not given his appointment until sometime later with backdated pay.
Gatt explained once again to the court that a day before he was to go abroad he was asked to resign, but no reason was given. Gatt said that when he met former Commissioner George Grech the next day before boarding his plane, he tried to establish a reason as to why he should resign but said that although he asked more questions than were asked to him, no reason was given.
Former police inspectors David Gatt and Ivan Portelli as well as former sergeant Michael Buttigieg have all brought cases against the Prime Minister for unfair dismissal. All claim not to know why they were dismissed and none were aware while they were still in the force that their position could have been under consideration by the Public Service Commission.
The case continues.
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