Pardoned oil trader’s lawyer speaks of threat

Pardoned oil trader’s lawyer Siegfried Borg Cole has told the court that Tony Debono – former chairman of the John’s Group executive board – had threatened him.

Borg Cole is representing state witness George Farrugia in the compilation of evidence against former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone, charged with having accepted bribes for the supply of oil to Enemalta.

Testifying in court, Borg Cole replied to very few of the questions raised by Tabone’s lawyer, Gianella de Marco, and repeatedly referred to his lawyer-client confidentiality obligation.

Asked about the telephone threat Debono allegedly made, Borg Cole said he was duty bound not to answer questions in connection with his profession. He however said he could give details about this particular threat since “receiving a threat goes beyond my call of duty”.

Borg Cole received a phone call from Debono when things started to go haywire between Farrugia and his brothers.  Debono had joined John’s Group as chairman of the company’s executive board, in order to chair the meetings.

“I was with Farrugia when the call came in. I put the phone on speaker mode so that Farrugia could hear what Debono was saying. Debono told me to watch my step because he had an ‘organisation backing him’,” Borg Cole said.

The lawyer hung up as soon as he heard the threat. He did not know what Debono meant or whom he was referring to.

“I don’t know what he meant. But the next time we met I told him he had been out of line and he had apologised. I hold no grudges against him.”

De Marco pressed him as to where he had been when the call came in and what he had been discussing with Farrugia.

“Did Debono call you in connection with agreements George Farrugia had with third parties? Or perhaps on allegations that Farrugia was siphoning off money from his brothers?” she asked.

However Borg Cole refused to answer, citing the right to confidentiality between a lawyer and his client.

The case continues on 6 October