At least six noise-complaint cases against two Sliema bars have been thrown out after prosecutors repeatedly failed to follow basic legal procedures- prompting public outrage and renewed criticism of Malta’s justice system.
The cases, stemming from complaints in 2023 and 2024 against MedAsia Playa (now Toyroom Beach Club) and Gourmet Cocktail Bar and Grill, were all dismissed after the prosecution submitted invalid affidavits. Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi ruled that the police and Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) failed to state where the oaths were taken – a basic legal requirement under Article 7 of the Commissioner for Oaths Ordinance – and, in some cases, failed to present original copies.
Despite residents providing video footage and describing sleepless nights caused by “serious disturbances”, the evidence was deemed inadmissible. In one case against developer Michael Stivala, the court said it could not prove he held the licence for the establishment due to the same procedural flaws.
The rulings sparked frustration online, with residents accusing the system of failing those who follow the rules. “So typical of our legal system – the law-abiding citizen is the one neglected, while the wrongdoers reign supreme,” one commenter wrote. Another described the outcome as a “disgrace”, saying that “authorities constantly let residents down – no accountability, only suffering.”
Some went further, calling for responsibility within the institutions themselves. “In another country, these people would be fired,” one resident said, echoing a sentiment of deep mistrust in Malta’s enforcement and prosecution mechanisms.
For many, the repeated procedural mistakes have become emblematic of a wider issue – a justice system that, as one resident put it, “protects the wrong people and punishes those who dare to complain.”
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