A Nationalist Party backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando was yesterday cleared of libelling former Marsascala mayor Charlot Mifsud after a court declared that what Dr Pullicino Orlando said was “fair comment”.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Michael Mallia, ruled that Dr Pullicino Orlando was entitled to express his opinion when he said that the Marsascala local council had spent thousands of liri in reports on the effect of the re-development of the Sant’Antnin waste recycling plant.

The magistrate said that although Dr Pullicino Orlando said “thousands of liri” when in fact the council had spent Lm236, this should be taken in the context of his right to express his opinion. The court said the “mistake” between Lm236 and “thousands of liri” did not have any effect on the crux of the matter being discussed.

The court therefore cleared Dr Pullicino Orlando of libelling Mr Mifsud.