Former MSS deputy head denies In-Nazzjon report, says Scerri ‘not involved’ in decision to resign

Allegations made by PN media in-Nazzjon against the Home Affairs Ministry’s chief of staff, Silvio Scerri, were vehemently denied by the chief of the Malta Security Services and the former deputy head.

In an article published by the newspaper entitled ‘l-Arroganza u l-indhil politiku qed iwasslu ghal rizenji’ (Arrogance and interference are leading to resignations), it was suggested that Scerri met with Major Mark Galea to discuss his resignation.

The article claimed that Galea resigned due to political interference.

Scerri sued In-Nazzjon for defamation.

In today’s court sitting, Head of Malta Security Service Michael Cassar and Major Galea both denied that Scerri ever interfered in Galea’s decision to resign from the MSS.

Galea reiterated that he had resigned from the MSS for personal reasons, after having been seconded from the AFM.  He said, that he had not discussed the decision with anyone, except for his family and the army brigadier to see whether it was possible to go back to the AFM.

During his testimony, Scerri said the aim of the article was to tarnish his reputation and was riddled with fabricated lies. The report also claimed that the head of the Detention Services, Mario Schembri, resigned over political interference.

Scerri said this statement was false and Schembri himself had called the ministry to clarify that he had no idea from where the newspaper had got its information. Schembri is still the head of the Detention Services.

In closing off his testimony, Scerri said that he had spent 11 years working in two ministries under the former Nationalist governments: “No one used to accuse me of political interference. Today, for the simple reason that I’m working under a Labour government, they accuse me of political interference, only to tarnish my reputation.”