Developer Michael Stivala has lost the libel case he had instituted three years ago against Momentum Chairperson, Arnold Cassola, the party said Thursday.

Stivala had felt that his honourabilty had been attacked when Cassola had written that that the employment of Joseph Muscat as Stivala's consultant was payback time for all the illegalities that Stivala's companies had been allowed when Muscat was Prime Minister.

The court, presided by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, ruled against Stivala's line of reasoning.

Lawyers Eve Borg Costanzi and Matthew Cutajar appeared for Cassola while Vincent Galea, who is also Joseph Muscat's lawyer in other cases, appeared for Michael Stivala.