Former PN secretary-general denies being aware of police’s questions

Former PN secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier told a court today that he expelled local councillor Nikki Dimech from the party after Dimech informed him that he had admitted to the police of having accepted bribes.

Taking the witness stand in a libel suit he filed against Mediatoday managing editor Saviour Balzan and online editor Matthew Vella, Borg Olivier denied having colluded with the police by being aware of the questions that police investigators were asking Dimech during questioning.

Dimech had alleged that Borg Olivier had called him straight after police had finished questioned him on bribery allegations during his time as mayor of Sliema.

"I knew he was meant to speak to the police and to the Internal Audit and Investments Department (IAID), so I kept calling him to ask about the outcome," Borg Olivier said.

The defamation suit concerns a MaltaToday report entitled 'PBO campaigns in Sliema as he expels Dimech' and an opinion piece by Saviour Balzan in the same edition.

Borg Olivier was cross-examined by defence lawyer Toni Abela, who denied being aware of questions the police would ask Dimech.

Borg Olivier said Dimech had contacted him by email telling him that the police wanted to interview him. "Dimech also said he was going to be spoken to by officers from the IAID, the OPM's audit office."

Dimech was expelled from the PN after he was investigated on alleged bribery during his time as mayor of Sliema.