Magistrate Francesco Depasquale today suspended the testimony of blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia in the case involving Zurrieq mayor Ignatius Farrugia because of the behaviour of the lawyers in the courtroom.

During the course of her testimony, at one point Magistrate Depasquale ordered her to stop after an altercation ensued between Dr Chris Cilia, who is appearing for Maria Vassallo and Kimberly Vassallo, and Dr Joseph Zammit Maempel, who is representing Mrs Caruana Galizia.

Dr Cilia repeteadly interrupted the witness who replied that he was being rude. Dr Cilia here asked for the court’s protection, with Dr Zammit Maempel saying that it was Mrs Caruana Galizia who needed the court’s protection.

Magistrate Depasquale said that such scenes do not take place in his courtroom and stopped the testimony, postponing the case to 17 October.

The incident took place during the compilation of evidence against Ignatius Farrugia, Maria Vassallo and Kimberly Vassallo who are charged of harassing Mrs Caruana Galizia during the St Joseph feast in Rabat on 19 March.

The first to take the witness stand was Maria Vassallo, who testified that she was in Rabat with her daughter Kimberly and another person whom she named as Claudia Camilleri. She had recognised Mrs Caruana Galizia and went to talk to her.

Ms Vassallo said that Mrs Caruana Galizia had written things about her when she did not know her and asked her to stop doing so. She said the blogger had insulted her family.

Claudia Camilleri also testified that she was in Rabat but did not see Mrs Caruana Galizia being offended or harassed.

Dr Cilia asked the court to appoint an expert to compile a list of articles in which Mrs Caruana Galizia had written about Maria Vassallo and her family. Magistrate Depasquale said there was no need to do so because the lawyers were able to do so themselves and denied the request.

In her testimony, Mrs Caruana Galizia referred to media reports about an incident that had taken place at the Labour Party club in Rabat, which is arun by Herbert Vassallo, Maria’s husband and Kimberly’s father.

She said that Maria Vassallo’s Facebook account was open and millions could have access to it. On her profile she had a photo wearing sado masochistic outfits, a description that was objected to by Dr Cilia.

Mrs Caruana Galizia insisted on describing the photos as obscene. “If she had been at a party its’ one thing, but these were there for all to see, with people commenting that she was sexy,” she said.