GRTU witness changes testimony: ‘I don’t want to lie… I didn’t see Chetcuti hit Farrugia’

A witness brought in to testify for the second time in the compilation of evidence against former GRTU official Sandro Chetcuti, on charges of causing grievous bodily harm to GRTU director-general Vince Farrugia in an assault, has changed her version of events when she was called in to testify in court for the second time.

GRTU employee Sylvia Gauci, who was present on 11 March at the GRTU offices when Farrugia was assaulted by Chetcuti, said she "did not want to lie to the court", changing her previous statement to police interrogators but also admitting to having lied under oath when she first gave the court her testimony.

"I saw Vince Farrugia on the floor... and Sandro Chetcuti was at the back [of the boardroom]. I didn't see him hitting Vince," Gauci told the court. Chetcuti was originally charged with attempted murder before the prosecution downgraded the gravity of the accusations to GBH.

Gauci also revealed that she had been instructed by Vince Farrugia via SMS and other GRTU officials to tell police that Chetcuti wanted to "kill" Farrugia during the assault.

Gauci said she had not witnessed the assault. On the day of the incident she was in a boardroom meeting with Farrugia and GRTU president Paul Abela, when Sandro Chetcuti came in to request a meeting with Farrugia.

After Abela and Gauci left the room, Gauci said she turned back to the boardroom to take her mobile phone which she had left behind. "Sandro and Vince were sitting next to each other, but when I walked back to the office I heard the shouting."

Upon returning, Gauci said she saw Vince Farrugia on the floor, with blood on his face, his tie and by the side of the door; as well as Paul Abela and GRTU official Joe Attard inside the boardroom.

She then admitted to the court that before going to the police station, the employees at GRTU were gathered and instructed on what they should tell police officers under interrogation.

She also confirmed the contents of an SMS sent to her on 19 March by Vince Farrugia which read:

"Re Wednesday, when you came in you saw him looking vicious and ready to butt my head with his. Your eyes' message which I read was 'watch it' and your eyes showed terror. That's what I'll say. And as he hit me you heard him say repeatedly 'noqtlok, noqtlok' (I'll kill you...) That's the truth. I wake up in the night hearing those words in his hoarse voice laud [sic] in my eyes. We must all hammer this point."

Further SMSes were also revealed by Sandro Chetcuti's defence team, led by Emanuel Mallia, which disclose a 10 March conversation - the eve of the incident - between Vince Farrugia and GRTU vice-president Philip Fenech, ostensibly discussing a way of discrediting Sandro Chetcuti for his apparently close links to Opposition leader Joseph Muscat.

SMS from Vince Farrugia to Philip Fenech

"We must blacken his name with all ministers and Parl Secs MP's [sic] and authorities so nobody trusts him and nobody touches him. He's a leper. We must hit him from all angles, no mercy."

Fenech to Farrugia

"Just tell him to go or else!! Paul will... we have all endorsements... by all that matter in the council."

Farrugia to Fenech

"But first we must besmearch [sic] him. We must not make a hero for Labour out of him. We must first expose him as cheap, a traitor, untrustworthy, a bum, money-stinks guy. Then we dump him as cant wrapper [sic]!"

Fenech to Farrugia

"Yes fully agree... will do... tomorrow I will tell you what I did so far. I will see you after a court case I have."

Farrugia to Fenech

"Just phone everyone you know that we caught him red-handed spying for Joseph. Kill. He'll die when he's shunned."

Fenech to Farrugia

"Yes will do. That is the way."

10:30pm: Fenech to Farrugia

"Excellent, well done. I spoke to Paul re Sandro. Tomorrow we shall talk... he is dangerous, cannot trust him... he has exceeded all limits! Philip."