A woman was cleared yesterday of making made false allegations about Robert Cutajar, an official within the Prime Minister’s Office, claiming he was given Lm500 in return for a job with the Armed Forces of Malta.

During the case, the court heard how Triza Grima, and her boyfriend Lee Degiorgio, claimed Mr Cutajar was handed Lm500 in return for a job with the Armed Forces of Malta.

Mr Cutajar had always denied ever receiving any payment for any purpose and in court said he did not even know Ms Grima.

Ms Grima, 21, from Zabbar was cleared of making the false allegations because the court ruled that she did not have the specific criminal intention of tarnishing Mr Cutajar’s reputation but was just repeating what Francis Mizzi had told her.

Francis Mizzi, known as Il-Pluto, told the court that he had asked Ms Grima and her boyfriend for money in return for helping them find a job. He said that although he had told them he had passed on this money to an official in the Prime Minister’s Office, this person was not given any money and knew nothing about the matter.

In separate criminal proceedings, Mr Mizzi admitted the charges brought against him and was jailed for nine months suspended for two years.

Handing down her judgement yesterday, magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said Ms Grima did not have the specific intention of tarnishing Mr Cutajar’s reputation and did not even report the case to the authorities herself – the police had investigated the matter of their own accord.

The magistrate said the prosecution had not proved the charges according to law and therefore cleared Ms Grima of all the charges against her.

Police inspector Angelo Gafa prosecuted and Dr Edward Gatt appeared for Ms Grima.