Update 2 | Abela told police officer matter was a civil, not criminal case [VIDEO]

Updated with Toni Abela statement at 12:38pm

Labour deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela has denied having exerted any alleged pressure on a police officer, saying a secret recording of him making this allegation had been taken out of context.

In a press conference, Abela said a recording of him, heard telling members of the PL's Attard club that he asked a police officer, supposedly of a Labourite persuasion, not to press charges against a member of the Labour club, are not related to a criminal case.

Abela said the barman of the Attard club had reported a committee member to the police for having changed the locks to the club's bar, but that he had resolved to tell the police that the matter was a civil matter, and not a criminal case.

Abela also said the recording is unrelated to another incident, a brawl between a former PL member and a Labour councillor, in which the police proceeded with criminal charges.

It was in this particular case that Richard Vella, whom Abela suspended from the party, told a court last week that the Labour deputy leader could be heard in a recording telling the Attard committee that he had asked the police not to press charges over the brawl.

"This recording... has nothing to do with that incident. It is related to a complaint made by the Attard club's barman, which I felt was a civil matter and I went to the police to inform them that they should not issue charges," Abela said.

"I am responsible for the administration of these clubs. I insist that I have done my best to see that these party clubs are free of anything that can be damaging of their reputation."

Abela denied suggestions that he had "corrupted" a police officer. "Corruption involves taking material advantage. In no way did I put any pressure on a police officer - I told the police that the matter was a civil case and that they did not need to take criminal steps.

"I have nothing on my conscience... I know what I did, and I did not corrupt anyone."

Abela said his comments to the Attard club were made in such a manner for them to understand the gravity of their actions when making such complaints to the police. He also said that the release of the recording was meant to overshadow other serious matters.

Allegations and recording

In the recording, Abela is heard telling the Attard committee club that he had asked a police officer not to press charges.

The first mention of this 'secret recording' was made in court during the hearing on a fight that erupted in 2010 between Richard Vella, and a Labour local councillor John Bonnici.

It was Richard Vella himself, who in court had a statement read out by his lawyer Edward Gatt, who claimed that Abela told the Attard PL club committee that he had asked the police not to charge him, and that a recording had been made of the meeting. This is being denied by Abela, who says his comments in the recording concern another matter.

In the recording released on YouTube by 'kristianbuhagiar' - at first glance an unofficial Labour-critical YouTube account - Abela is clearly heard telling an unidentified audience that he had asked "a Labourite police officer" not to press charges because the case was about to be given prominence in the media.

The 35-second video was released on Monday, 11 February. In it, Abela is heard saying:

"We had to issue an apology so that you look good in the press... today we are being extra careful. Why do you think I went to the police station, and I found a Labourite to tell them... 'look, don't press charges for now'. Because the press was going to report the incident."

Last week, Abela denied having put pressure on a police officer not to press charges against the former party activist. "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."

Abela also called into question the integrity of Vella, a former AFM officer who has been since suspended from the Labour party. "It is in our party's interest to see that our party clubs are run honestly and remain 'clean' places... this allegation is just an attempt to throw mud on me during the election."

In a statement earlier today, Nationalist whip David Agius - whose constituency is Attard - said that he confirmed what Vella had told the court during his hearing, namely that Agius himself was aware of the contents of this recording. "As for what was said in court, I confirm that on 15 October 2010, I was made aware of the content of the recording... afterwards, I identified Toni Abela as the person heard talking, and on 20 October 2010 I went to the Commissioner of Police to inform him of what I had heard and asked him to investigate the information that had reached me. I made a statement personally to the Commissioner of Police on this matter."

On his part, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said it appeared that it was Nationalist MP David Agius who supplied the recording to the Commissioner of Police, citing an earlier statement made by the PN whip during the day. "I think the fact that the Commissioner did not call Dr Abela to answer for this recording shows that he did not take it as seriously," Muscat said.