Archpriest accuses Valletta mayor, councillor of perjury

Valletta archpriest David Cilia has accused the locality’s mayor and one of its local councillors of falsely testifying by lying about him.

The issue centres around a tender for the restoration of Valletta’s St Paul church. A few days ago, Cilia had alleged that some Valletta council members lied under oath in a Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) sitting concerning the same tender.

Cilia also accused local council executive secretary Gabriella Agius of administering the tender for the renovation works despite her family being the owners of Agius Stoneworks Ltd, who won the €164,000 tender.

In official letters sent to mayor Olaf McKay and local councillor Raymond Azzopardi, the archpriest accused them of perjury, adding that this influenced the PCRB’s decision.

According to the letters, Cilia held the pair responsible for their claims and gave them three days to publicly state that what they told the PCRB was false. McKay and Azzopardi were also told to send their statement to the PCRB.

Speaking to MaltaToday, McKay said, “I have nothing to say. The PCRB’s report is clear.”

Meanwhile, Cilia told this newspaper that he doesn’t want to cause anyone any harm, and he only wishes to clear his name from lies.

Last week, Valletta’s PN councillors to walk out of an urgent meeting after Labour councillor Alfred Zammit alleged a case of conflict of interest involving a tender for the restoration of the city’s church of St Paul.

The PN councillors stated that the allegations were serious and should not be ignored.