Giovanni Kessler, head of the European anti-fraud agency (OLAF), allegedly took a main witness in the Dalligate scandal to lunch “to relax and have some wine” after interrogating her over several hours.
The claim was made in court yesterday by the witness, Maltese lawyer Gayle Kimberley, who was a consultant to tobacco manufacturer Swedish Match at the time.
In her testimony, she said the agency chief warned her to be afraid of John Dalli and Silvio Zammit as he (Dr Kessler) “was Italian and knew how things worked”.
Dr Kimberley was testifying in the case against Mr Zammit, 48, from Sliema, who is pleading not guilty to charges of bribery and trading in influence in connection with a review of EU tobacco laws.
Mr Zammit was investigated by local police following a probe by OLAF, whose report forced the resignation of former European Health Commissioner Mr Dalli.
In previous testimony Dr Kimberley said Mr Zammit, who used to be a canvasser for Mr Dalli, had requested €60 million to use his services for the lifting of the EU ban on snus, a smokeless tobacco.
Yesterday, she told the court the OLAF interrogation took place in Troia, Portugal, where she was meant to be representing...
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