A magistrates’ court yesterday heard how a police superintendent accused of accepting bribes received Lm100 a month for six years as protection money – against a promise to not take criminal action against people committing a crime.

Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar told magistrate Giovanni Grixti how investigations revealed that Police Superintendent Patrick Spiteri, received Lm100 a month for six years in order to protect a group of people organising illegal gaming.

Mr Spiteri, 49, from Fgura, who has resigned his post as superintendent, is facing criminal proceedings for allegedly accepting bribes between 2000 and 2006. He is also accused of assisting people to commit a crime.

Mr Spiteri is also accused of allegedly committing the said crimes when, as a Police Superintendent, he was duty bound to ensure that they do not take place. Mr Spiteri is denying the charges brought against him.

Mr Cassar explained that on 24 June, Police Commissioner John Rizzo asked him to continue the investigations involving Mr Spiteri and a certain Gejtu Zerafa from Marsaxlokk over confidential information he had received about protection money Mr Spiteri had allegedly been receiving.

Mr Cassar said that during the interrogation, Mr Spiteri admitted that he had made friends with Mr Zerafa who had introduced him to a number of people who were involved in illegal gaming. He told Mr Cassar that in all, these people used to give Mr Zerafa Lm100 a month for the past six years which he then passed on to him.

Mr Cassar mentioned Mr Zerafa, Emanuel Spiteri, Carmelo Farrugia, Leonard (Nardu) Cachia and Alfred Galea as people who paid Mr Spiteri the protection money. He said that when spoken to, these men admitted that they were involved in illegal gaming and that they had paid Mr Spiteri every month in order to be protected from criminal action.

Testifying in court yesterday, during the first sitting of the compilation of evidence against Mr Spiteri, a lotto receiver, who said he was Mr Spiteri’s “very good friend”, said he collected money from a number of people who were involved in illegal gaming and passed them on to Mr Spiteri.

Gejtu Zerafa, who referred to the accused as “Sur Patrick” throughout his testimony, said he had introduced Mr Spiteri to a number of people who believed Mr Spiteri could protect them since they were involved in illegal gaming. He said that in all he used to give Mr Spiteri Lm100 a month collected from these people.

Also brought to testify, Carmelo Farrugia said he did not wish to reply to any of the questions since with the replies, he could incriminate himself.

During his testimony, Mr Cassar also referred to a weapon found in Mr Spiteri’s possession. This firearm, which the prosecution is alleging was stolen from the Valletta police station, was wrapped in brown paper when the police found it. Mr Cassar said Mr Spiteri told him that he had found the weapon at the Valletta police station and that when he saw that it was not owned by anyone, he took it home to restore it and display it at his home.

The case continues.

Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar and inspector Angelo Gafa prosecuted while Dr Joe Giglio appeared for the defendant.