The brother of key Lockerbie witness Tony Gauci has broken his silence, according to a report by The Scotsman in which he claims their lives have become “intolerable” amid growing interest by the press.
Tony Gauci, whose testimony was the key plank in the conviction of suspected Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, is believed to have been paid a GBP2 million reward, disguised as “compensation”, by US investigators as a direct reward for giving crucial prosecution evidence.
The evidence will form part of a new court appeal by the Libyan’s defence council after he was granted a second appeal by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC).
Contacted at their home, Paul Gauci, brother to witness Tony Gauci, was quoted by The Scotsman saying: “We are under very heavy pressure here. The press want to photograph us, everybody wants to interview my brother, we have no privacy. When we step out the door, there are people with cameras. Our lives are intolerable here.”
The newspaper claims Gauci could be planning a move to Australia with his brother, who was also on the witness list but was not called to give evidence. Gauci is known to have become very apprehensive about the sensation surrounding the Lockerbie case after his evidence was last year called in question. The Gauci family has also stepped up security with CCTV surveillance around the house and has refused to answer any questions from the press.
The Scotsman said SCCRC sources have confirmations that Gauci received a substantial reward and it will form part of the grounds for appealing the case.
It said the Commission had “thoroughly checked out the claims” and found Gauci received “a phenomenal sum of money” from the US as “compensation for the impact on his life and business of his close involvement in the case.”
Al-Megrahi was granted a second appeal against his conviction for the December 1988 Lockerbie bombing, in which 270 people died after the SCCRC spent three years examining his conviction. Earlier this year the SCCCRC referred the case back for appeal after concluding there could have been a miscarriage of justice.
Gauci was the crucial witness who claimed Megrahi bought clothes in his shop, Mary’s House, later used to wrap the bomb.
Another key plank in the appeal will be new evidence that the type of timer used in the bomb was available “all over the place” and not just sold to Libya as claimed in court.
The reward and timer evidence can today be confirmed as the two “missing” appeal grounds submitted by the SCCRC. The Commission said earlier this year it had discovered six grounds of appeal but only gave details of four.

mvella@mediatoday.com.mt