German company Hospitalia, originally one of the companies that had tendered for the medical equipment at Mater Dei, filed a plea in court last week requesting that is refunded the Lm25,000 bond it had paid when it registered its objection to the recommendation that Italian company Inso be given the tender.

Since the objection to Inso has been upheld, Hospitalia argued, the money should be returned, notwithstanding that the government had verbally informed the company that the money cannot be refunded because of proceedings against Joe Zahra.

Dr Hugh Peralta appeared for Hospitalia.