Former MEP candidate ordered to pay debts

Mary Gauci, an unsuccessful MEP candidate in the 2009 elections, was ordered by a civil court to pay MediaToday the sum of €9,428 in debts related to her electoral campaign.

Gauci was the sole candidate for Libertas Malta.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard how on 13 May 2009, the woman signed a booking form in connection with the printing of 160,000 leaflets and 12,000 business cards. The deal cost her €8,271. Gauci was listed as the contact person while the company was Libertas Malta.

The defendant paid MediaToday with two personal cheques. However they were both referred back to drawer and when payment failed to materialise, MediaToday filed for court action against Gauci.

Gauci argued that while her name appeared on the cheques, the account belonged to Libertas Institute. MFSA officials testified that no company was registered in Malta under the name Libertas.

The magistrate commented that the name on the invoice was Libertas Malta and not Libertas Institute.  “The use of the name Libertas was aimed at misleading people as to who manages this account," the court said.

Former MediaToday sales representative Mark Causon also took the stand. He confirmed that the booking ordered signed by Gauci was in fact on behalf of Libertas Institute. For a time, Causon was also a campaign manager for Libertas Institute in Malta.

The court ruled that Causon’s evidence was unreliable as the name Libertas Institute was not seen anywhere on the form.

“Gauci’s aim to contest the election on behalf of Libertas, and her agreements with them in connection with funds and was not related to her business relation with MediaToday. The plaintiff has a right for the claim, and if she wanted Gauci could turn to Libertas for reimbursement," the Magistrate said.

The Court ordered Mary Gauci to pay the sum of €9,428 to Media Today Company Limited with interest till date of final payment.