Charlon Gouder's kwerela: my statement to the police
Magistrate Herrera embracing Charlon Gouder (left) and Jonathan Attard (right) of Super One.
X’gara nhar it-02 ta’ Marzu 2010 ghal habta tas-1330hrs fi Triq Repubblika, Valletta ma Charlon Gouder?
Meta hrigt mill-Qorti, sibt il-cameras tal-Partit Laburista, cameras kemm tal-filmat kif ukoll tar-ritratti, u mal-cameraman kien hemm Charlon Gouder li jahdem fil-media tal-Partit Laburista. Dawn il-cameraman u fotografu u Gouder bdew jigru warajna. Konna qieghdin jiena u tnejn minn huti, l-avukat tieghi Roberto Montalto u r-ragel tieghi Peter Caruana Galizia. Bdew jigru warajna, u iddroppjaw il-microphone tal-camera tat-television ghal fuqna biex joqodu jissemmghu x’konna qieghdin nghidu bejnietna. Fil-fatt, hargu filmat fuq is-Super One, it-televixin tal-Partit Laburista – hargu filmat fejn jien u l-avukat tieghi konna qed nitkellmu b’mod privat u xandru l-konverzazzjoni taghna, konverzazzjoni privata fuq in-news.
Fil-fatt, tant kemm grew warajna li ppruvajna ninzlu fi Triq Santa Lucia u gew warajna. Waqafna nitkellmu fuq il-bankina u qaghdu dritt fuqna xi nofs metru boghod minnha. Ergajna tlajna Triq ir-Repubblika, imxejna sa Pjazza Regina u kienu ghadhom warajna.
Xtaqna noqghodu f’restaurant hemmhekk barra fil-pjazza u spiccajna ma stajniex ghax baqghu jiffilmjawna sa l-ahhar. Spiccajna ohti kellha tmur hdejn il-qorti, sabet pulizija mara u gabitha ghall-ghajnuna. L-ewwel din il-pulizija qaltilhom biex jieqfu, u il-cameraman tal-partit Laburista, li jismu Byon Jo Zammit, beda jargumenta maghha u jghidlha li ‘it’s a public place’ – qalha bl-Ingliz – u li jista jiffilmjana kemm irid.
Jien ghidtlu li fil-kaz tieghi forsi ghandu argument ghax jiena ‘I am in the news’ bhala public figure, imma huti huma persuni kompletament privati u li joqghod jiffilmjhom, mill-vicin, meta huma ghaddejjin ghall-affari taghhom, huwa ksur tal-ligi tad-data protection.
Gie fuq il-pulizija Charlon Gouder, u hi kif ratu inhallet, u bdiet tidhaklu, u qabadha minn dirajha qisu kien il-pulizija hu u hi xi imputata, u hadha minn hemm. Sparixxew it-tnejn. Jien ippruvajt naralha n-numru imma ma rajtx numru fuq il-gakketta taghha, imbaghad xi hadd qalli li dik spettur u spettur ma jkollux numru. Imma jien ma nafx hux veru jew le.
Hemm din l-istorja ghaddejja minn xi sentejn ilu: fil-kampanja elettorali harget din l-istorja li Charlon Gouder kien qieghed Albert Town il-Marsa u insterqitlu l-portmoni tieghu u hu imbaghad mar f’ghassa u ghamel rapport lill-pulizija fejn qal li fil-fatt kien Albert Town u kien hemm mara li waqfitlu l-karozza u b’xi mod haditlu l-portmoni.
Kien hemm anke rapport b’mod ta’ video imtellgha fuq is-sit youtube.com li rawh ghexieren ta’ eluf ta’ nies u li sa fejn naf jien qatt ma ghamel kwerela dwarha u qatt ma hareg stqarrija biex jiccara l-affarijiet u jghid li din l-istorja mihiex vera.
L-istorja ilha ghaddejja sentejn shah minghajr kelma wahda min-naha ta’ Charlon Gouder. Jien nghid li kieku jiena kont fil-pozizzjoni tieghu bhala bniedem li jispikka fil-Partit Laburista kont inhoss il-htiega u d-dover lejn il-partit tieghi u dawk li jimpjegawni li din l-istorja noqtolha billi nghid li dak li ntqal m’huwiex minnu.
Ghandu jkun Charlon Gouder nesa li jena m’iniex politikant imma li ili nahdem bhala gurnalista ghal izjed minn ghoxrin sena u bhala gurnalista ghandi mhux biss id-dritt imma l-obbligu insaqsieh jekk din l-istorja hija l-verita jew le.
Hu kellu kull opportunita li jwegibni hemmhekk stess u li jiffilmja r-risposta tieghu bhalma iffilmja d-domanda tieghi, u minnflok ghazel li jzomm sieket u icempel lill-avukati tieghu Andy Ellul u Vince Micallef u jghidilhom biex jaghmlu kwerela biex nigi investigata mill-pulizija. Sal-lum bqajna, ghax mhux jien biss qed nistenna risposta ghal dik id-domanda, minghajr risposta dwar il-fatti ta’ dik l-istorja tas-Sur Gouder, il-portmoni u Albert Town.
Nghidlek sew li din l-istorja fost affarijiet ohra ktibthom fis-sit tieghek daphnecaruanagalizia.com?
Niftakar li ktibt xi haga dwar dawn l-incidenti, iva.
Nghidlek sew illi din l-allegazzjoni ta’ Charlon Gouder, il-portmoni u Albert Town ghedtielu fi Triq ir-Repubblika il-Belt ukoll?
Jien l-anqas kont qed nghid lilu. Fil-fatt kont qed insaqsi lir-reporter taghhom dwar din l-istorja. Hu kien qieghed hemm imma kien fil-genb dak il-hin u lanqas kont qed inhares lejh. Fil-fatt, huma tas-Super One ghandhom il-filmat.
Tiftakar ezatt x’kien id-diskors li ghedt?
“Veru li Charlon Gouder mar ma’ qahba Albert Town u serqitlu l-portmoni?” Fil-fatt, dik hi l-istorja. Forsi kien jippreferi li nuza l-kelma ‘prostituta’ ghax tinstema ahjar. Imma jien meta jkun hemm kelma bil-Malti ma nuzaghhiex bit-Taljan.
Inti thoss illi b’dan il-kumment ingurjajtlu u/jew malafamajtu lil Charlon Gouder?
L-anqas xejn. Anzi tajtu kull opportunita biex iwegibni u sa anke ktibt fuq il-website tieghi li jekk jixtieq jikteb xi haga biex jinnega jew jiccara il-fatti ta’ dik l-istorja, jien intellaghhielu fuq il-website tieghi ghax nirrispetta il-ligi ta’ l-istampa u l-klawsola dwar id-dritt tar-risposta, jghidulha ‘right to reply’.
Fil-fatt, insibha l-vera stramba li bniedem li jahdem bhala gurnalist – avolja fil-Partit Laburista – u li huwa ukoll student tal-ligi, ma jafx x’jghid il-Press Act, il-ligi tal-istampa, u minnflok juza r-right of reply, iqabbad l-avukati u jaghmel kwerela lill-pulizija.
L-avukati tieghu imisshom jafu l-ligi bizzejjed biex jafu x’tghid, u misshom tawh parir li juza ir-right of reply kif offrejtlu jiena stess.
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“Forsi kien jippreferi li nuza l-kelma ‘prostituta’ ghax tinstema ahjar. Imma jien meta jkun hemm kelma bil-Malti ma nuzaghhiex bit-Taljan.”
Tajba -hahahaha! Min jaf kif fqajthom bid-dahk lill-pulizija!
Ilallu Daphne! I am astonished at the way you answer, so intelligently and so blunt…which is why we like you.
Charlon Gouder’s silence is indeed golden.
Charlon …. x’il-q**ba qed tistenna? We’re still waiting for your reply.
l-portmoni!
Daphne, I hope the gist of the above is eventually provided to the very interested non-Maltese speakers with a ‘stake’ on the rock. Appreciate you are busy. You’re doing one hell of a job.
Harry Purdie: please learn Maltese…
Maybe Charlon doesn’t want to admit he went with a woman. Can’t say I blame him, because working where he does will make him the odd one out.
Daphne minix xi wiehed li inhobb nikteb comments..I ve been reading your blog ghal zmien twil. Issa u nametti li ghal bidu kont narak antipatka imma nowadays I must admit li bdilt fhemti komplatement. Ftit Malta anzi nghid m’ hawn hadd Malta ghandu il guts jikteb dak li tikteb u tghid int. Keep up the work and good luck, You are simply the best.
Daphne, did the police officer who took your statement manage to keep a straight face?
Charlon ma mara, u ejja
Jekk joghgbok Charlon mur igbor il-portmoni. Instab dan u qieghdin nahsbu li tieghek.
http://butchstyle.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/comicwallet.jpg
Jista’ min itella’ lil xi hadd il-qorti ghal xejn jehel bl-ispejjez b’kollox tal-kawza? Jew trid tinfetah kawz’ ohra biex tithallas l-inkonvenjenza u pariri legali li l-akkuzata tkun harget minn butha?
Ma narahiex rispettabbli li membru tal-Korp tal-Pulizija tinqabad minn taht dirghajha u tigi mfixkla mil-qadi ta’ dmirijietha. Inhoss li din il-haga trid tigi mistharrga fil-fond aktar mil-Korp.
Isn’t it a case of patronising? It is not acceptable and it reflects very very badly. Pure arrogance, and not just disrespect.
Daphne, I really have no words to say. The courage and strength you demonstrate are incredible. Jien m’hinix xi fanatika tal-politika pero dawn ma jifilhux jaqghu aktar tac cajt.
Nixtieq b’sahha li tohrog rebbieha f’din l-istorja kollha, pero jekk Alla hares le, l-aqwa li il-poplu kollu sar jaf in-nies min veru huma…u id-disastri li kien hemm mohbijin. Jiddispjacini ghal xi nies li huma genwini li jidru quddiem xi magistrati mwerwrin u jtuhom xi sentenza ezagerata u assurda u dawn kwazi ma jkollom htija ta xejn.
Dear Charlon, int kont aggredit minn qahba go Albert Town li imbaghad haditlek il-portmoni: iva jew le?
Charlon Gouder is trained in the Super One/Maltastar school of journalism. That might explain why he didn’t exercise his right to reply.
Then again, maybe he thinks it’s more dignified to follow in the grand tradition of the Labour Party: using the police to shut people up.
I was looking forward to hearing the next update then it was all in Maltese. Google translate is terrible with the Maltese translate. Please can someone recap what was said above?
Best regards
Mort ma’ qahba jew le? A simple yes or no will do.
You see, the answer can be a bit more complex: Yes, but I did not have sex with that woman.
Will you please repeat for the record?
Banquo, some of us are older Anglo-Maltese who were never properly taught Maltese or -like myself- married to Anglo-Maltese citizens, living abroad and simply not quite able to learn the complex and not widely taught and/or spoken Maltese language. However I try and follow this sorry, but exciting, saga as well as I can. But a translation into English of the highlights would be much appreciated. You’ve got at least one Dutchman checking your blog several times a day, Daphne. I read and enjoyed your columns when living in Malta – you only got better since then!
I would like to point out the following proverb to Charlon & Company,” If you can’t stand the heat – get out of the kitchen!”
Il-bierah, il-Pulizija riedet taf “X’gara nhar it-02 ta’ Marzu 2010 ghal habta tas-1330hrs fi Triq Repubblika, Valletta ma Charlon Gouder.”
Jien nixtieq naf “X’gara nhar il-29 ta’ Settembru 2005 fis-2.00am f’Albert Town ma Charlon Gouder.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsK_1yuFRsI
Jien nixtieq naf ukoll.
Who is the one doing the Texan salute?
daphne i am one of your biggest fans.. especially after all this comedy/drama in court.. your wits and your talent shine through.. good luck in the rest of the case.. and well done you bring me to tears with laughter