Magistrate orders OLAF report must be submitted in proceedings against Zammit

In a decree which emerged this morning, bearing Magistrate Anthony Vella's signature on January 29, the Magistrate's Court has rejected arguments made by the Attorney General who contested the order to submit the OLAF report during proceedings against 48 year-old Silvio Zammit of Sliema, who is charged with soliciting a €60 million bribe from snus manufacturer 'Swedish Match' and of trading in influence.

In his decree, Magistrate Vella stressed that "with all due respect to the Attorney General and the Police, such a document is not exempt from any privilege according to Maltese laws."

Magistrate Vella threw out the judicial application filed by the Attorney General last week in a bid to quash a previous order, and decreed that the report was to be kept sealed in the Magistrate's chambers, and Zammit's lawyers be given access to it.

Meanwhile, lawyers Edward Gatt and Kris Busietta who are appearing for Zammit raised objections for not being notified over a second consecutive request by the Police and the Attorney General to postpone today's sitting.

In another development, Silvio Zammit appeared before Magistrate Silvio Zammit at 1:10pm with lawyers Edward Gatt and Kris Busietta. The only person who attended was Philip Farrugia Galea from the Attorney General's Office, but not the prosecuting inspectors.

Gatt told Magistrate Vella that he was "more than convinced" that the Zammit case was being constantly delayed "for obvious reasons."

He expressed his "personal preoccupation" that the delay was "deliberate".

While informing the Court that Zammit was to file an application to be granted permission to go abroad, with the current €25,000 bail deposit and €75,000 personal guarantee be extended to cover his permission to travel.

While confirming that Zammit's case was adjourned to March 14, Magistrate Vella stressed that he remained adamant to Court procedure, and was not being influenced by any media reports.

Magistrate Vella hit out at both the prosecutor and defence lawyers, not to make any statements in his court, which were intended to hit the news headlines.

"Please stop making statements intended to make news. Address me and this case, and nothing else," Vella said.