Taking the stand in court today, Emmanuel Camilleri said that during a meeting back in 2009, his daughter asked him whether she would go to prison if she told the truth about an alleged sexual abuse case.  

48-year-old Emanuel Camilleri was testifying in a perjury case against his former wife, Lisa May Camilleri, who had falsely accused him of abusing their daughter.

Emanuel Camilleri had been condemned to two years imprisonment, confirmed on appeal. He was released by order of the Constitutional Court after spending 400 days in jail when it was shown that his daughter was told by her mother to give false evidence. The daughter, Lianne Camilleri, 20, admitted perjury in court.

Mr Camilleri added that in 2010, his wife kicked their daughter out of the house after she mistakenly thought she was pregnant.  

 

Mother granted bail

The mother, who allegedly led her daughter to commit perjury against her father, was granted bail against a deposit of €5,000. The prosecution strongly objected against the granting of bail, saying that Ms Camilleri could try and contact her daughter, who is in a vulnerable state.

The mother’s lawyer, Martin Fenech, argued that even accused murderers are out on bail, and the court should not be ‘selective’ in their decisions.

The court upheld the request for bail, adding that Ms Camilleri is not to communicate with her daughter in any way, or even glare at her from 50m away.

 

Lawyer insists Xarabank crossed the line

Lawyer Dr Martin Fenech, representing the mother, said that the manner in which Xarabank carried out the discussion regarding the case on June 6 was incorrect, and the production house had chosen to broadcast the programme during the specific time period because Ms Camilleri was already accused, and it was specifically intended to influence the case. He said that the broadcasting authority had specifically censured the programme.

Taking the stand, Peppi Azzopardi said that the mother was never mentioned once; however Xarabank had the right to point the possibility that Emanuel Camilleri could be innocent. Azzopardi said he had publicly asked the BA to clarify where the Xarabank had crossed the line, however up until yesterday, he had never been given a reply.

Azzopardi presented two DVDs to the court, one of the whole programme on June 6, and another DVD featuring the interview with Lianne Camilleri.

 

 

The case has been adjourned to 9 September.