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Sant on criminal code
Labour leader Alfred Sant criticises certain amendments to the Criminal Code proposed by Justice Minister Tonio Borg, describing them as an attempt to control the kind of inquiries conducted by magistrates.
One of the more contentious clauses, criticised by MPs from both sides of the House, proposes that a magistrate should request the authorisation of the Chief Justice to hold an inquiry unless the inquiry is necessary on the basis of a report or complaint filed by the Attorney General or the police.
Sant says this is an attempt to stifle magistrates’ independence.
Monday, 05 June
Judge reprimands magistrates
Judge Joseph Galea Debono expresses serious concern at the way magistrates are applying suspended jail terms in a ruling on the case involving an Eritrean who had been found guilty of violent indecent assault of a woman.
The Eritrean had been handed down a six-month suspended jail term by the magistrates’ court, whichis turned into an effective jail term by Judge Galea Debono on appeal.
The Judge also expresses his surprise at how the 27-year-old man was not charged with attempted rape, a crime that would have carried with it a higher punishment.
Family on murder trial
The trial by jury of three people accused of murdering an 18-year-old woman five years ago when they dumped her unconscious in a field leaving her to die of a drug overdose, commences in front of Judge Joseph Galea Debono.
The three - a father, his estranged wife and their son - are accused of leaving Rachel Bowdler to die after 12 hours of agony after she had suffered an overdose. The prosecution says that had the family requested medical help, Bowdler’s life could have possibly been saved.
Bowdler accompanied the son, Jason Decelis to his mother’s Bugibba apartment, where she lapsed into an overdose. Jason had called his father, Carmel for help and later also involved his mother Concetta. The family members tried to revive Bowdler but after 12 hours they abandoned her in a field in Mgarr.
The three plead not guilty to the charges.
Tuesday, 06 June
Sting rocks the crowds
In what is arguably the largest live concert ever, British rock legend Sting performs in front of an 18,000 strong crowd at the Luxol Grounds with a 90-minute set covering a range of classics spanning back 30 years.
Wednesday, 07 June
Speaker laments
Malta commemorates the Sette Giugno riots with a formal ceremony in Valletta during which the Speaker of the House, Anton Tabone laments that neither government nor the opposition had given him any official feedback on a proposal to make Parliament work autonomously from the public service.
Request for urgent debate
The Labour opposition, addressing a press conference soon after the official Sette Giugno celebration is over, says it expects a motion of censure, requesting the resignation of Minister Austin Gatt, to be discussed with urgency and without any limits on speaking time.
Labour Party deputy leader Charles Mangion and whip Joe Mizzi gave notice of a motion demanding the resignation of Gatt over comments he made during the parliamentary sitting of May 31, during which Gatt said that government could go ahead with its plans on the transfer of land to Maltacom because it enjoyed a five seat majority in Parliament.
Thursday, 08 June
Al-Qaeda leader killed
Al-Qaeda’s top man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is killed by a US air strike in Iraq after a tip off led the coalition forces to the terrorist’s hideout. The attack was possible after information passed on by Jordanian and Iraqi intelligence. Zarqawi was the mastermind behind numerous bomb attacks, kidnappings and beheadings in Iraq. He was also personally the executioner of a number of foreigners kidnapped in Iraq.
Friday, 09 June
Jury verdict
Jurors in the trial of three family members accused of abandoning a young woman to her death after suffering an overdose, find the mother and her son guilty of murder and the father guilty of involuntary homicide.
Jurors ask Judge Joseph Galea Debono to show mercy towards all three when handing down the sentence on Monday.
Immigrants die at sea
The Italian coast guard bring to shore 16 immigrants and two corpses after rescuing the people out at sea when their small boat capsizes, leaving another 20 immigrants still missing.
The boat sinks in international waters, just off Maltese territorial waters, to the east in an area that falls under Maltese rescue jurisdiction.
World Cup kicks off
Germany and Costa Rica open the month-long tournament with host nation, Germany emerging 4-2 winners at the Munich stadium.
March GDP up
The economy grew by 3.1 per cent in real terms during the March quarter according to statistics published by the National Statistics Office. GDP for the first quarter 2006 reached Lm465.1 million, an increase of 3.1 per cent in real terms over the same quarter last year.
Saturday, 10 June
Immigrants rescued
Another group of illegal immigrants are brought to Malta after being rescued out at sea. The group of 29 consists of 19 men, 6 women and four children.
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