Caruana Galizia fined €35 for disobeying warden’s orders

Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia was fined a paltry €35 for disobeying the orders of a local warden, and reprimanded by the magistrate for using distasteful and demeaning language in court.

Prosecuting inspector Trevor Micallef charged Caruana Galizia with disobeying orders, threatening and assaulting public officers, dangerous driving and breaching the public peace.

The case dates back to 21 June, 2013 when the Caruana Galizia was involved in an argument with wardens directing traffic on Birkirkara Road, in St Julian's.

Never shy in her use of adjectives, she described the warden as somebody who was "truly disgusting" (vera skifuza) in her court testimony. Magistrate Ian Farrugia ordered her to stop using distasteful and demeaning language in court. "The court will honour your right to testify but you have no right to insult people, and I will not tolerate such language in my hall," he said.

Caruana Galizia said she was driving from San Gwann down to Mrabat Street, when at a point a warden managing the traffic there stopped her car and ordered her to reverse the vehicle.

The local warden was directing traffic, because a crane was being operating in the street. The warden said she signalled a car to stop but the driver had kept on driving and only stopped when the warden blocked its road. "This led to a huge commotion as traffic piled up because the car blocked both carriageways. She refused to reverse and then was ordered to park in a garage entrance so traffic could flow,"

Caruana Galizia said she refused to obey the warden because it was illegal to reverse on a main road. "If I crashed, my insurance policy would not cover me. She was so disgusting, that I can only compare her antics to a prelude of a street fight. I understood she was irritated at being in the middle of the street, directing traffic under the scorching sun. She was disgusting in my regard and she challenged me to report her. I told her I could not see her signals as I was in a tiny Volkswagen behind a huge coach and an SUV."

Caruana Galizia then drove into garage entrance to let traffic pass. "She was such a skifuza that she let traffic flow for a long time leaving me trapped at the side of the road," Caruana Galizia told the court.

An eyewitness recounted the commotion that ensued. "Blaring horns attracted my attention to a commotion on the road. Next thing I saw was the warden in front of the car ordering the driver not to proceed. The car had left the traffic line and came head to head with oncoming traffic, causing a major traffic jam."

Another witness said that the warden ordered the driver to reverse but the driver got out of the car to take the officer's number to report her. A traffic jam blocked the streets as the two argued, but 10 minutes later the situation calmed down.

Defence lawyer Joe Zammit Maempel argued that the traffic jam resulted from the warden's actions. "Had the accused been allowed to drive through, all this would not have happened."

Magistrate Ian Farrugia said that evidence heard in this case was subjective, and each part recounted their own version. "While the driver could genuinely have thought she had a right to drive on, the warden ordered her to stop and reverse... it was a legitimate order and should have been obeyed."

Other charges of threatening the officer were not proven. Caruana Galizia was fined €35 for disobeying the warden's orders and acquitted of all other charges.