Suspended Enemalta employee claims defamation

An Enemalta official suspended from work over a police investigation into his alleged bribery, has filed a judicial protest demanding that the PN newspaper In-Nazzjon desist from publishing defamatory reports on him.

Louis Attard, 52 of Mosta, who works as head of accounts at Enemalta, was investigated by the corporation's theft control unit on suspicion of having formed part of a racket that tampered over 1,000 smart meters for consumers and businesses.

Attard said in his judicial protest that he started working for the corporation in 2004 as an accounts officer, and that since his suspension from the corporation he has denied any connection to the electricity theft ring.

The judicial protest made reference to a report published on 14 February, in which Attard was described as the brains behind the smart meter conspiracy. Furthermore the article was given political favour due to campaigning he alleged carried out for energy minister Konrad Mizzi.  "The report is full of lies, as the only promotion I ever received was in 2010 under the PN administration when I was appointed Head of Accounts," he said.

Attard claimed that article was defamatory and aimed at tainting his reputation. He demanded that the PN newspaper stops such allegations and held editor Alex Attard responsible for any damages he could suffer.

The judicial protest was signed by lawyer Edward Gatt.