GRTU official told Vince Farrugia assistant police commissioner ‘is on your side’

New SMS messages exhibited in court by the defence counsel in the compilation of evidence against Sandro Chetcuti, who stands accused of causing grievious bodily harm to Vince Farrugia, shows one of the GRTU's officials claiming he had garnered the sympathy of a senior police officer on the case, the Director of Prisons Abraham Zammit, and members of the press.

The text messages are part of the evidence brought by the defence in the compilation of evidence for the prosecution of former GRTU director Sandro Chetcuti, who is accused with GBH after assaulting Farrugia in the Valletta offices of the GRTU.

The SMSes also show Farrugia asking his son Jean-Karl - who happens to be one of his lawyers in the case - to call him up to testify in court first because other witnesses, GRTU staff who witnessed the assault, 'are mixing up things especially when he [Sandro Chetcuti] said noqtlok noqtlok [I'll kill you].'

The SMS read:

Jan I'm thinking it's better that I set the ball rolling u nixhed l-ewwel jien ghax I'm worried the others are mixing up and they are not saying that he was screaming at me "noqtlok, noqtlok as he was hitting me. And can't belie they did not hear him" what do you think? Talk to Kris u fil-kas talk to Prosection toi call me first.

Taking the witness stand, GRTU vice-president Philip Fenech was asked by lawyer Emanuel Mallia what certain SMSes he sent to Farrugia meant, specifically those where he mentions 'Commissioners'.

In one of the SMSes sent after the assault, Fenech is telling Farrugia:

No you wont I have the commissioner on our side he helped all the way called me about 4 times... The AC told me they are very strong and credible now I hope the doctors report is to..I will guide them what to be careful for when testifying and Manwels ways ! Leave it all to me the police will be helping us..luckelly we have very honest ones of the few left..I worked with them so I am home.

Fenech told Mallia he knew Aquilina due to his job running Paceville establishment BJ's.

According to prosecutor Police Inspector James Grech, Aquilina was consulted during the investigations on the compilation of the charges and "used Aquilina as a point of reference only".

He also said that his SMS referred to the staff at GRTU, and said the junior staff who witnessed the assault were not aware of how the law courts work, and watch out for Emanuel Mallia's tactics, and that they should report what they saw clearly. "The staff were extremely traumatised."

In another SMS from Vince Farrugia to Philip Fenech, Farrugia asks him to 'check with Jean [Vince Farrugia's son and defence lawyer] if Sandro is in Kordin. The SMS read:

Philip check with Jean if Sandro is in fact in Kordin.This morning he ordered Manwel Mallia toi make sure he does not sleep at Kordin.So money probably is already moving. If he did not tel Mario to pass on to Daphne. We must watch moves on a day by day. The pig must roast!

Fenech confirmed that the message concerned GRTU official Mario Debono, whom the defence has established as having been a middleman to provide fodder for Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia's blogs targeting Sandro Chetcuti.

In reply, Fenech tells Farrugia:

Yes I am aware of all this..I am impressed how street wise you are..I have over 35years of night life sitting on the balcony seeing all these moves come out at the bar while they are on alcohol! Do not worry I am focused on this I have all the commissioners help and  Abraham..he will have to watch out on his corrupted people..cause they do anything for money hence all the drugs in there ! The director is strong on principle..the guy that killed himself inside was given a strong order of detention by him for causing trouble. I still have to work out how his father in law will act because I think he is still on the prison board!!  

The reference to Abraham is for the Corradino prisons' acting director Abraham Zammit.

Fenech told the court that his messages to Farrugia were only intended at making Farrugia feel comfortable after the assault. "It doesn't mean I was going to influence anyone. They didn't mean anything. I was just comforting Farrugia after all he had been through".

In another SMS to Fenech, Farrugia tells him 'ahdem, ahdem ahdem [get busy] Get the commissioner to make sure Sandro is in Kordin for a long time.'

Other SMSes suggest that an opinion piece by the Bondiplus presenter Lou Bondì in The Sunday Times was circulated to Philip Fenech before it was published in order to be vetted. In an SMS, Fenech tells Farrugia 'Noel and Herman [Grech, Sunday Times deputy editor] showed us the piece referring to Lou Bondì's Sunday Times article.'

And never underestimate Sandro. The flood of silly comments on Timesofmalta.com are all organised but read Lou Bondi Sunday Times tomorrow. I still did not give them a photo. The trial will start soon they'l have enough then. Noel and Herman shoed me there piece and our lawyers vetted them. Better like this. Hope DCG MA TAFFIGIEX.

Farrugia then replies to Fenech:

And The timesofmalta.com comments must be organised as Lou, Noel and Matthew Vella [maltatoday.com.mt editor] all told me messages of sympathy keep pouring in and out there hardly anyone says a good word for him. And I've been inundated with messages.anyway the trial hasn't even started. Inti also keep Joe warm. Din it-tfajla/sinjura li ghandu gdida tafha? She a smart chick BOV divorsee.

Other SMSes presented by the defence show Vince Farrugia asking Philip to speak to the late Guido de Marco, the former President, 'because he has influence on Manuel Mallia' - Sandro Chetcuti's defence lawyer.

Ok he told me. Talk to Guido as he has influence on Manwel Mallia. Tell him how serious this was. Tell him how he is treathening people dwar meta jitla il-labour.

In a reply to Farrugia's SMS, Fenech replied: Ok will do..just hope Gwido will remain here till the end when we can talk. (referring to the late Guido de Marco).

Mallia then turned to Fenech, asking him who he thought he was "trying to influence the course of justice by exchanging messages and calls with the director of prisons, and coaching the GRTU staff who witnessed the case on how to witness in court, the police, and even the press.

"You seem to have tried to coach everybody," Mallia told Fenech, "even the police."

In previous sittings, SMS messages sent out by GRTU director-general Vince Farrugia in the wake of his assault show he was in contact with Mario Debono, asking him to influence Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia to undermine his aggressor Sandro Chetcuti in her blog.

Another SMS, this time from Peter Bonello, mayor of St Julian's, to Vince Farrugia, was read out by Mallia: "Vince, make sure you have a professur bil-bajd [make sure you have a very good lawyer]. Be courageous, we are behind you."

Farrugia, in turn, forwarded Bonello's message to his son Jean-Karl. Mallia questioned whether he was aware who Bonello was and Jean-Karl replied by saying he hadn't any idea who had sent the message but confirmed that a message of this nature was in fact forwarded to him by his father.

Another message sent by Vince Farrugia to his son Jean-Karl, read: "We left the issue of the medical certificates in their hands too much. You should get advice from Conrad and Anthony Samuel. If they witness in a 'soft' manner. it would make us and the police look ridiculous. Someone has to say that any blow could have killed me." Conrad Bugeja is the doctor who saw to Farrugia the day he was admitted to hospital and Anthony Samuel is the consultant radiologist who dealt with Farrugia's X-rays.

Last year Samuel had testified about the effect of Chetcuti's physical attack on Farrugia. Chetcuti's defence counsel had questioned Samuel's objectivity and asked whether he had exaggerated the medical results of Farrugia to reinforce the case against Chetcuti. Samuel has always denied that he manipulated the medical results.

Mallia questioned Jean-Karl Farrugia regarding a message sent on March 15 by Jean-Karl's sister stating that she had spoken with Dr Anthony Samuel and that Samuel would be contacting him.

The day after a short call was also recorded to have been made by Dr Anthony Samuel to Jean-Karl. Mallia asked Jean-Karl the nature of the conversation between him and Samuel. Jean-Karl replied: "It was probably for an appointment regarding a chest X-ray, but I cannot recall, it's been too long ago."