Former Security Service chief gave rosary beads to man he ran over

The former head of the Security Service had visited the elderly man he hit while reversing his car in Paola last year and gave him rosary beads which he said had been blessed by the Pope.

Scicluna resigned from his post earlier this year after MaltaToday brought the incident to the attention of then Police Commissioner John Rizzo.

Scicluna is now facing criminal charges of having caused involuntary harm to Raphael Lughermo, the 91-year-old man.

The car accident happened in June 2012. Rizzo had been asked by MaltaToday why no action had been taken against Security Service chief Godfrey Scicluna as a result of this serious incident.

Rizzo had said he was not aware that Scicluna had been involved in the accident until MaltaToday raised the incident.

As the compilation of evidence continued this morning in court, it emerged that Scicluna had visited Lughermo in hospital the day after the accident and gave him rosary beads. He told Lughermo's daughter that the beads had been given to him by the Pope.