Former Times of Malta journalist Ivan Camilleri filed a judicial protest against his former employer demanding compensation for what he insists is his unlawful dismissal. Ivan Camilleri was dismissed on the same day that the directors of the company that owns the Times newspapers accused him of shoplifting and of tipping Yorgen Fenech off ahead of his arrest.
Ivan Camilleri argued that The Times had already verified that the shoplifting allegations carried by rival newspaper Malta Today were bogus. The matter is now the subject of a libel suit brought against Ivan Camilleri by Malta Today editor Saviour Balzan.
Ivan Camilleri also denies acting inappropriately with respect to Yorgen Fenech.
He is however insisting in his judicial protest that his former employer returns to him files and computer data of his research while he was still working at The Times including particularly research on unpublished stories. Ivan Camilleri reminds his former employer that it is his duty to protect his sources which may be discovered by anyone going through the files and data that were taken away from him the day of his dismissal.
In his judicial protest Ivan Camilleri argues that his employer has in the past attempted to have him removed, seeking to half his pay or to push him to resign voluntarily. He has also suggested that at least some of these occasions occurred on the back of pressure from Labour Party sources.
Ivan Camilleri’s time at The Times includes many investigations into corruption and wrongdoing in public administration.