[WATCH] Busuttil defends 'right to react' to whistleblower’s ‘false allegations’

Oppositon leader says the public free to decide whether to believe him or whistleblower who admitted to having carried out illegal works

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil. Photo: Ray Attard
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil. Photo: Ray Attard
Busuttil defends right to react to whistleblower's claims

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has defended his strong reaction against a court testimony by works-for-votes whistleblower Joe Cauchi.

“Don’t we live in a democracy? Don’t I have the right to react when somebody invents allegations against me?” Busuttil questioned, when asked by journalists to respond to the whistleblower’s allegation that the PN leader was attempting to use his political power to pressure him to change his version of events.

While Cauchi was still testifying, Busuttil   issued a statement claiming that his testimony confirmed his version of events that at no point during their meeting, had they discussed the alleged 'votes-for-works' ruse devised by Anthony Debono, the husband of former minister Giovanna Debono.

However, Busuttil later filed a judicial protest against Cauchi, accusing the “self-confessed crook” of lying about him to render himself more likely to get paid for illegal works.

According to Cauchi's statements in court, he had met Busuttil in 2013 to report to him that Anthony Debono had not paid him for works he carried out at his requests. Busuttil allegedly asked him why he did not stop the works when it appeared that the Nationalists were not going to be re-elected.

“I released my first statement while the whistleblower was still testifying in court and I reiterated the position I have stuck by since the case broke out,” Busuttil said. “However, as Cauchi’s testimony continued, he started saying things that he had never told me during our meeting. I felt that I needed to clarify this point.”

Journalists present pointed out that the issue could come down to Busuttil’s word versus Cauchi’s.

“If it comes down to my word against Cauchi’s, I’ll leave it up to the people to decide whether to believe someone who committed illegal works or myself as Opposition leader," Busuttil said.