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Former Commissioner of Police Lawrence Pullicino and notorious Wardija lawyer Patrick Spiteri have been suspended perpetually from the bar, a notice from the Office of the President announced on Friday.
Another lawyer, Tonio Farrugia, has also had his warrant to practice the profession of advocate suspended for seven years.
The suspension was handed down by the President of the Republic on the recommendation of the Commission for the Administration of Justice. According to the Civil Code, a conviction for any crime liable to imprisonment of over one year will automatically result in the “perpetual disability” to practice the profession of advocate.
The decision over Spiteri was taken on the basis of a sentence which was confirmed by the Court of Appeal, which had found him guilty of forgery. In October 2004, he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for four years.
The suspension of Lawrence Pullicino’s warrant however comes late in the day after the former Commissioner of Police was released from jail on 25 August 2000.
Pullicino had been found guilty in 1993 of complicity in the 1980 murder of Nardu Debono inside the police depot.
His corpse was found under the bridge at Wied ic-Cawsli, Qormi.
Pullicino was found guilty after 76 hours of deliberation by a 7-2 verdict of being an accomplice in Debono’s murder and of giving false evidence. He only served half his 15-year sentence. Contacted yesterday, Lawrence Pullicino said the suspension of his warrant had already taken effect 13 years ago, and Friday’s notice was “just a formality”.
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