Prosecutor thanked for picking up striking colleagues caseload in money laundering cases

A court has praised a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office for attending sittings instead of his colleagues who are currently on strike, thereby allowing the court to continue to hear evidence.

Sittings in several high-profile money laundering cases continued this morning, despite a number of prosecutors observing union directives. The UĦM industrial action began last week after the government halted talks aimed at arriving at a collective agreement because of the election.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech Court praised lawyer Karl Muscat for his dedication in ensuring the cases, which included proceedings against Yorgen Fenech, the man accused of masterminding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and Vince Buhagiar, the former chairman of Progress Press and Allied Group director accused of laundering kickbacks from former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri’s Kasco Group, continue.

The magistrate dictated a note in the acts of each case, recognising Muscat, who was not affected by the union’s directive as he is not a member, for his efforts and for “thereby avoiding the stultification of proceedings, in view of the current industrial action at the Office of the AG.” 

The court expressed displeasure at the fact that the striking prosecutors did not formally notify it of their planned absence. “One would expect, as a courtesy, that the prosecuting officers, whilst exercising their rights, would not inform the court that they would not appear via email but by formal communication,” remarked the magistrate.