Just prior to the end of his term as Chief Justice, Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti has reshuffled the Judiciary. His most significant move has been to remove Magistrate from the Criminal Court and to transfer her to the Gozo District Court. She had a record pending number of cases and was investigated for tax issues. She recently issued a very bizarre sentence that liberated Keith Schembri from serious crimes involving the phantom job of Melvin Theuma.
He has also removed Magistrate Nadine Lia from the Court receiving complaints against the Police and replaced her with Magistrate Gabriella Vella. The Administrative Review Tribunal has been reassigned from Judge Charmaine Galea to new Magistrate Claudio Zammit.
The choice of Chief Justice remains pending discussions between the Government and the Opposition after the Opposition voted down a government-motion nominating Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera for the post. There has been no compromise candidate found yet. Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti will still occupy the post until a new candidate will be found.
Criminal compilation cases previously handled by Monica Vella have been redistributed among Magistrates Gabriella Vella, Leonard Caruana and Marse-Ann Farrugia, while cases involving minors have been assigned to Magistrate Abigail Critien.
Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech will no longer hear criminal cases in Gozo, which have been reassigned to Magistrate Vella. Gabriella Vella, Magistrates Claire Stafrace Zammit and Elaine Rizzo have been allocated additional criminal cases.
Money laundering cases have been assigned to Lara Lanfranco and Leonard Caruana, while VAT cases previously handled by Yana Micallef Stafrace have been transferred to Kevan Azzopardi and Claire Stafrace Zammit. All pending civil cases formerly heard before Magistrates Monica Vella, Lara Lanfranco and Gabriella Vella have been assigned to Magistrate Joseph Gatt.
New Magistrates Tanya Sammut and Ingrid Bianco will handle new cases involving domestic violence and minors, while Magistrates Patrick Valentino and Franca Giordimaina will oversee rent regulation matters and civil cases involving minors. Giordimaina will also take over cases from Simone Grech, who has been appointed judge.
Newsroom
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