A court, presided over by magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, has ruled in favour of columnist Austin Sammut in a libel case filed against him by former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.

The court noted that the comments made in an article published in The Malta Independent on Sunday on 4 August 2002 entitled The Dregs were generic and, as pointed out by Dr Mifsud Bonnici, did not refer solely to him but also to Opposition Leader Alfred Sant.

Although, it added, there is no doubt that the words used to refer to Dr Mifsud Bonnici were harsh, these are justified in a democratic society that respects and protects the freedom of the press.