Labour deputy leader denies claims of putting pressure on police

Labour deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela has denied having put pressure on a police officer not to press charges against a party activist accused of starting a brawl.

Richard Vella, of Attard, claimed in court this morning that Abela had put pressure on the police not to arraign him and Labour local councillor John Bonnici, when the two wre involved in a fight, ostensibly to quash any media attention to the brawl.

Both Vella, who ran the Labour party club in Attard, and Bonnici, were arraigned several months later. On his part, Abela had sent Vella a letter informing him he was no longer a member of the committee and could not enter the club.

Vella's lawyer Edward Gatt, reading out a statement for his client, said Abela had told the Attard club committee in a meeting that he had asked the police not to charge Vella, and that a recording had been made of this meeting.

Abela has denied the claims, and questioned Vella's integrity. "I was never called in for questioning by the police... who would have surely taken action had I put some pressure on a public official."