A court has acquitted businessman Christian Borg of perjury charges, after the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence to sufficiently prove its case.

Borg was accused of giving false testimony in a civil case before magistrate Gabriella Vella in January 2021. The allegations arose after the magistrate herself filed a complaint, prompting criminal proceedings.

The prosecution failed to submit the transcript of Borg's testimony before magistrate Vella, needed to establish perjury.

Although prosecutors submitted affidavits and official documents, their inability to provide the verbatim record of Borg's statement weakened its case. As a result, the court ruled that the charges were not proven to the legal standard required and acquitted Borg.

Borg first gained national attention in 2022 when he was among four men charged in a botched kidnapping, during which they allegedly threatened to torture their victim and rape his sister.

Last year, Borg and his associates were charged over tax evasion and money laundering. A court had heard that his construction and rental car companies had claimed VAT refunds on invoices, issued at a time when the issuing person had in fact been behind bars.

In 2018 when he was already an MP, Prime Minister Robert Abela netted €45,000 from a property deal with Borg. Abela served as a lawyer to Borg, as well as the Planning Authority's legal consultant in the past.

Lawyers Stefano Filletti and Charles Mercieca represented his defence.