Police inspector Michael Vella told the court that from his investigations it transpired that the message had been sent from a mobile phone with Camenzuli’s number. 

He admitted to sending the post when he was questioned by the police but argued that it was written in the heat of the moment. He claimed that his business had been impacted negatively by the November 2019 protests, causing him to lash out at Aquilina. 

Another officer from the police cybercrime unit also testified telling the court that he had quickly determined that the profile was fake. A request was with Facebook, which provided the police with the IP addresses linked to the account. 

Camenzuli insisted that his comment had not been intended as a threat, claiming that it was really intended as a warning because he had heard many people speaking out against him and Repubblika in Valletta. 

Lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia pointed out that the comment was made months after the November protests. Rather than being emotional at the time, she said it appeared that the comment was the result of hatred that had built up over time. 

Lawyer David Gatt appeared for Camenzuli while Comodini Cachia appeared for Aquilina. 

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