A Super One journalist yesterday told a court how Nationalist Party secretary general Joe Saliba and PN official Berta Sullivan stopped him from asking Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi questions following a political activity in the San Gwann PN club in February.

The incident which ensued led journalist Charlon Gouder to claim that he had been assaulted by Mr Saliba and Mr Saliba saying Mr Gouder had assaulted him.

Mr Gouder filed a libel case against in-Nazzjon editor John Zammit over the report about the incident in the following day’s edition of the newspaper entitled: “Super One reporter tries to assault PN secretary general”.

Testifying in court yesterday before magistrate Michael Mallia, Mr Gouder explained that on 20 February 2006 he was assigned to cover a political activity at the PN San Gwann club during which PN leader Lawrence Gonzi was participating.

He explained that after the Prime Minister had finished his speech, he approached Ms Sullivan and asked if he could ask Dr Gonzi for a comment on camera. On her part, she informed him that Dr Gonzi might be long because there was a reception but Mr Gouder replied that he was prepared to wait for him. He said he and his cameraman waited outside the club until, 30 minutes later, Ms Sullivan called them in.

Mr Gouder explained that while he was asking him questions, Dr Gonzi was surrounded by Mr Saliba, Ms Sullivan and Assistant Secretary General Angelito Sciberras. When asked in court, he said he was asking Dr Gonzi for his expectations from the upcoming local council elections and then went on to ask Dr Gonzi questions related to parliamentary secretary Tony Abela.

He said that as soon as he gave Dr Gonzi documents on Mr Abela, Mr Saliba attempted to stop the interview and repeatedly ordered the Super One cameraman to turn off his camera.

Mr Gouder said Mr Saliba also pushed the cameraman in an attempt to snatch the camera and eventually, he managed to grab the camera but Mr Gouder was prompt to take it back. He said that during this incident, Ms Sullivan covered the camera lens with her hand.

The journalist said he had asked Mr Saliba why he was taking this attitude and he replied: “Don’t continue being rude” (“Tkomplix titpastaz”). He said Ms Sullivan snatched the microphone from his hand and he did not resist.

Mr Gouder said that when he saw that Mr Saliba was losing his patience, the Prime Minister said: “Joe, Joe, no” (“Joe, Joe, le”). He said Mr Saliba continued trying to snatch the camera from his hand and also pushed him onto a sofa at the side of the room. He said people pulled Mr Saliba back and calmed him down while Ms Sullivan accompanied him and his cameraman outside the PN club.

Also testifying during yesterday’s sitting, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted that Mr Gouder was on the party’s property and he did not have to act so aggressively. “I literally had the microphone stuffed in my face. He had asked to ask a question and it turned into an interview. If he wanted an interview, I would have given him an appointment. But it was late and when I felt he had asked enough questions, I told him it was enough but he continued insisting on asking more questions. Joe Saliba and Charlon Gouder continued arguing and I tried to calm them down,” Dr Gonzi said.

When asked, Dr Gonzi said he saw Mr Saliba covering the camera lens with his hand but said he did not see Mr Saliba taking or trying to take the camera from the Super One cameraman’s hand. Moreover, he said, he did not see anyone taking the microphone from Mr Gouder.

Dr Gonzi said he left before Mr Gouder and his cameraman left the premises and added that the journalist’s attitude was simply not acceptable on the PN’s property.

Magistrate Mallia put the case off to 11 October. Dr Joe Zammit Meample appeared for Mr Zammit while Dr Toni Abela appeared for Mr Gouder.