Adrian Delia denies asking Yorgen Fenech for €50,000 to stop David Casa being elected

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia has denied allegations made in court by Keith Schembri on Monday that he asked for €50,000 from Yorgen Fenech to stop David Casa from being elected.

Delia issued the denial shortly after Schembri testified in court that Fenech had once told him how the Opposition leader asked for €50,000 to stop Casa's re-election bid last year. Schembri also claimed that Pierre Portelli used to go an collect €20,000 every time in donations from Fenech.

"I absolutely and categorically deny the allegations made against me. I have already taken an oath denying the allegations," Delia said.

He insisted that he would not comment any further at this stage not to prejudice ongoing court proceedings. Schembri was testifying as a witness in the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of masterminding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

"No one should be allowed to divert the attention from the real purpose of these proceedings," Delia said.

Delia said that he could not help but recall that Schembri and those around him were implicated in the murder, and as such, he was resorting to "blatant lies" while testifying under oath.

"This is a blatant attempt to try to stop me from fulfilling my duties to ensure that anyone who has used his official position even in the highest corridors of power in Malta is brought before the courts of justice to answer for their actions," Delia said.

Delia's denial came quick in succession to that issued on Facebook by Portelli, who also took an affidavit last week.

READ MORE: Keith Schembri claims Yorgen Fenech told him Adrian Delia asked for €50,000 to stop Casa, Pierre Portelli used to pick up the money