The former operators of St Philip’s Hospital in Birkirkara have been ordered by a court to pay for a consignment of pharmaceuticals which has remained unpaid for since 1998.

The claim was filed by Spiteri Maempel Ltd, a pharmaceuticals company, against Golden Shepherd Group Ltd, the company that previously administered St Philips.

Spiteri Maempel Ltd said the hospital had failed to pay for a delivery made in 1998, which cost around LM927.

The court, presided by Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia, heard how Professor Anthony Serracino Inglott had been engaged by the hospital to make it self-sufficient. His duties included ordering medicines. The hospital ran into financial trouble in 1998 and the agreement with the professor was terminated the following year.

The court heard how Professor Serracino Inglott would make the orders over the phone and payment would be made against delivery at the hospital.

When the hospital changed shareholders in 1999 it told the pharma company that it had no direct business with it, claiming that Professor Serracino Inglott would buy the medicines himself and then sell it to the hospital.

However the professor denied that he was buying the hospital for his own private clinic and insisted that all orders were for St Philip’s hospital.

The court heard how Spiteri Maempel Ltd had two accounts with St Philip’s, one of which was on the professor’s name. It also heard, however, that all orders were made on behalf of the hospital and the medicines were delivered to its doors.

The court said it was amply clear that Professor Serracino Ingott made the orders on behalf of the hospital and ordered Golden Shepherd Group Ltd to pay Spiteri Maempel Ltd the €2,160 owed for the delivered medicines.