A witness who overheard a fight between property developer Sandro Chetcuti and former GRTU director general Vince Farrugia denied receiving money from Mr Chetcuti in order to change her testimony.
Sylvia Gauci, who was a GRTU council member in 2010 when the incident took place, originally told a court that she had witnessed the fight at the GRTU's Valletta offices, but retracted this version of events some two‐and ‐half years later.
Mr Chetcuti was acquitted of charges that he attempted to murder Mr Farrugia.
Mr Farrugia has since been charged with perjury and attempting to influence witnesses together with GRTU members Philip Fenech and Paul Abela.
Ms Gauci told a court today how she had a chance meeting with Mr Chetcuti shortly before she retracted her original testimony.
She flatly denied receiving money from Mr Chetcuti in order for her to change her testimony when questioned by defence lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell.
Ms Gauci said she did not speak to Mr Chetcuti during this meeting, saying that her son had just undergone brain surgery and Mr Chetcuti was cognisant of this fact and merely greeted him.
She said another chance meeting took place at a Valletta coffee shop though they did not speak to each other.
She explained how she was given a paper by GRTU officials containing instruction on what to say in court during her 2010 testimony.
She said she decided "to tell the truth" on her own volition during a subsequent court testimony some two years later.
She admitted that she had not actually seen Mr Chetcuti beating up Mr Farrugia, but had heard him crying out in pain shortly after she left his office.
After hearing these cries, Ms Gauci said she went back into the office where she found Mr Farrugia lying on the floor.
She said that Mr Chetcuti was standing by Mr Farrugia's desk.
The case continues in March.
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/1NCYwki
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