Former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo dies aged 75

Former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo, whose rise to the pinnacle of Malta’s judiciary was followed by one of its most notorious scandals, has died at the age of 75. He passed away on Sunday.

A legal academic and prominent figure in public life, Arrigo had lectured at the University of Malta since 1976, served as president of the Chamber of Advocates, and chaired the Malta branch of the Institute of Directors. His appointment as Chief Justice in July 2002 was seen as the culmination of a distinguished legal career.

But within weeks of taking office, his legacy was upended by a bribery scandal that saw him arrested alongside fellow judge Patrick Vella. The arrest came amid allegations that Arrigo had accepted an €11,650 bribe to reduce the sentence of a convicted drug trafficker from 16 to 12 years. He was also accused of leaking the judgement in advance.

Arrigo resigned on August 5, 2002, acknowledging the gravity of the accusations and the damage caused to Malta’s justice system, though he continued to protest his innocence.

Following a high-profile trial, Arrigo was convicted in November 2009 on charges of bribery, trading in influence, and revealing official secrets. He was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison and permanently barred from holding public office.

In sentencing, the judge described his conduct as the result of personal weakness and poor associations rather than greed, noting that Arrigo had intended to donate the bribe money to charity.

He served 22 months of his sentence in the secure forensic unit at Mount Carmel Hospital before being released early in September 2011.