The letter dated 12th February 2016 and sent to Inspector Joseph Mercieca by PC99 Mario Portelli started as follows:
“Sur Mercieca, nirreferi għat-telefonata li kellna nhar il-Ħamis 11 ta’ Frar fejn inti infurmajtni fuq mistoqsija tiegħi illi l-kaz tal-Avukat David Gatt wasal fl-aħħar fażi tal-kumpilazzjoni u li jiena mhux ser inkun mitlub li nerġa’ nixhed fil-kawza.
Jiddispjaċini għall-fatt biss li jiena mhux ser ikolli l-opportunita’ li nwieġeb għal diversi dikjarazzjonijiet illi ntqalu fil-konfront tiegħi tul il-kors tal-kawża mill-Avukat difensur ta’ David Gatt u minn ċertu Raymond Abela li kien xehed illi jiena giddieb meta qal b’referenza għax-xhieda tiegħi li qatt ma bies id David Gatt u kellmu bit-taljan.”
“Mr Mercieca, I refer to the telephone call that we had on Thursday 11th February where you informed me, in relation to my question, that the case of lawyer David Gatt has reached the final phase of the compilation and that I will not be asked to return to testify again in the case.
I am sorry for the fact that I will not be able to have the opportunity to reply to several statements that were uttered against me during the course of the case by David Gatt’s defense lawyer and by a certain Raymond Abela who had testified that I had lied in reference to my testimony that he has never kissed David Gatt’s hand and talked to him in Italian.”
I will publish the whole contents of this letter, in the next blog.
Why was Mario Portelli denied a kontro eżami? Is this how the building with the stairs functions?
So, during this case, the walls of the building with the stairs heard so many testimonies from various policemen, including high officers in the same corps; heard the testimony of Dr Zammit Montebello and heard the testimony of PC Mario Portelli. Then, the same building with the stairs had the pleasure to offer a seat to the accused, while the walls had the pleasure to hear his testimony.
But then, the same building with the stairs got exhausted and decided not to offer PC Mario Portelli the opportunity to defend himself in a kontro eżami. The walls wore earplugs too.
And Lady Justice was busy polishing her two scales, while fretting about having lost her blindfold.
The Trial of David Gatt – why was Mario Portelli denied a kontro eżami?
The letter dated 12th February 2016 and sent to Inspector Joseph Mercieca by PC99 Mario Portelli started as follows:
“Sur Mercieca, nirreferi għat-telefonata li kellna nhar il-Ħamis 11 ta’ Frar fejn inti infurmajtni fuq mistoqsija tiegħi illi l-kaz tal-Avukat David Gatt wasal fl-aħħar fażi tal-kumpilazzjoni u li jiena mhux ser inkun mitlub li nerġa’ nixhed fil-kawza.
Jiddispjaċini għall-fatt biss li jiena mhux ser ikolli l-opportunita’ li nwieġeb għal diversi dikjarazzjonijiet illi ntqalu fil-konfront tiegħi tul il-kors tal-kawża mill-Avukat difensur ta’ David Gatt u minn ċertu Raymond Abela li kien xehed illi jiena giddieb meta qal b’referenza għax-xhieda tiegħi li qatt ma bies id David Gatt u kellmu bit-taljan.”
“Mr Mercieca, I refer to the telephone call that we had on Thursday 11th February where you informed me, in relation to my question, that the case of lawyer David Gatt has reached the final phase of the compilation and that I will not be asked to return to testify again in the case.
I am sorry for the fact that I will not be able to have the opportunity to reply to several statements that were uttered against me during the course of the case by David Gatt’s defense lawyer and by a certain Raymond Abela who had testified that I had lied in reference to my testimony that he has never kissed David Gatt’s hand and talked to him in Italian.”
I will publish the whole contents of this letter, in the next blog.
Why was Mario Portelli denied a kontro eżami? Is this how the building with the stairs functions?
So, during this case, the walls of the building with the stairs heard so many testimonies from various policemen, including high officers in the same corps; heard the testimony of Dr Zammit Montebello and heard the testimony of PC Mario Portelli. Then, the same building with the stairs had the pleasure to offer a seat to the accused, while the walls had the pleasure to hear his testimony.
But then, the same building with the stairs got exhausted and decided not to offer PC Mario Portelli the opportunity to defend himself in a kontro eżami. The walls wore earplugs too.
And Lady Justice was busy polishing her two scales, while fretting about having lost her blindfold.