Magistrates throw out inquiry requests by Jason Azzopardi saying they were filed in the wrong court

Requests for magisterial inquiry into Gozo Sports Complex pools and criminal racket involving Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and his wife turned down by magistrates who said they were filed in the wrong judicial jurisdiction • Azzopardi says request will be filed in Gozo Court on Wednesday

The Court has turned down two requests for a magisterial inquiry by laywer Jason Azzopardi (inset) into alleged wrongdoing by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri (pictured) (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
The Court has turned down two requests for a magisterial inquiry by laywer Jason Azzopardi (inset) into alleged wrongdoing by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri (pictured) (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Two magistrates have turned down requests for a magisterial inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, saying they were filed in the wrong court.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia and Magistrate Antoine Mifsud noted the alleged crimes were carried out in Gozo. Those identified in the requests objected to the jurisdiction in which they were filed, saying they were filed in the wrong court.

Speaking to MaltaToday, lawyer Jason Azzopardi said they will be filed at the Gozo Court on Wednesday.

The applications, filed by Azzopardi, had been requested in December.

The first request for magisterial inquiry concerned an alleged criminal racket involving the Gozo Ministry and Transport Malta.

The scandal, Azzopardi claimed, involves Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and his wife, Deborah Camilleri. Jason Azzopardi's allegations centre around a racket where government jobs and highly sought-after mooring spots at the Mġarr harbour in Gozo were being handed out fraudulently.

The second request concerned the alleged inflation of costs of an Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Gozo Sports Complex. The application provided there exists a prima facie basis that various crimes were committed by both the Minister and Permanent Secretary for Gozo, including the crimes of conspiracy, corruption, abuse of public office, embezzlement, money laundering, and complicity in the commission of a crime.

The court has now turned down three requests for a magisterial inquiry by Azzopardi, after an application for an investigation into several land transfers made under the watch of Lands Authority CEO Robert Vella.

Azzopardi had filed an urgent court application on 30 December accusing Vella of money laundering, bribery, corruption, trading in influence and criminal association. In his request, he referred to various media reports of land transfers made under Vella’s watch that saw prime public land sold to the private sector for a pittance.