RCC denies exerting pressure to have Security Services chief removed

Richard Cachia Caruana - Malta's former permanent representative to the European Union - insisted before a Magistrate that he never exerted and pressure to have the head of the Security Services removed.

Giving evidence before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale this morning, Richard Cachia Caruana reiterated that he had never exerted and direct or indirect pressure on former Labour minister Joe Mizzi to have the head of the Security Services removed.

Cachia Caruana is suing Mizzi for libel, who recently claimed that during the time he served as minister between 1996 and 1998, he was subjected to pressure - through a third party - to have the Security Services chief removed from office.

He is also suing Labour's broadcaster One Television for having aired Joe Mizzi's claims.

While Cachia Caruana said that he was not part of government during the time Mizzi alleged to have been put under pressure, he also rebutted another claim made by Mizzi, this time regarding allegations on a cocaine-fuelled party on board a yacht.

Cachia Caruana stressed that with his statement, Mizzi was alledging a serious crime. An allegation, which was complete false, and slanderous, he claimed.