A former consultant to Education Minister Louis Galea, Norman Bezzina, yesterday lost two libel cases which he had filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court.

Mr Bezzina claimed that in an article published on the Malta Labour Party newspaper Kullhadd and in a book called Id-Djarju ta’ Ciro Del Negro, Dr Joe Mifsud portrayed him as a friend of “notorious people”.

Mr Bezzina said Dr Mifsud alleged he had tried to accept bribes in order to help a company go through the pre-qualification stage for the awarding of the San Raffaele Hospital building contract.

At the time, Mater Dei Hospital was known as San Raffaele after a Milanese institution.

Mr Justice Valenzia said what Dr Mifsud wrote were not baseless allegations and could be qualified as of public interest.