Malta expects Justice Commission to be expedite – Owen Bonnici

The Maltese were expecting the Commission for the Administration of Justice to be expedite in its investigation and conclusion of the Carol Peralta case, parliamentary secretary for justice Owen Bonnici said.

Yesterday evening, Bonnici wrote to the President of the Republic, as chairman, asking the Commission to investigate the Magistrate's actions. Peralta, whom the Opposition is now calling on to resign, yesterday afternoon held Christmas drinks in his courtroom.

But what prompted the government and opposition's outrage was Peralta's "abusive" and "illegal" act when he ordered that a reporter be arrested for refusing to give his particular after he was caught trying to take pictures of the ongoing party.

The party, complete with whisky, wine, hors d'oeuvre and Christmas carols, started off at noon and continued until around 4pm or 5pm when the police were called in to arrest the reporter.

Peralta and other guests had also been smoking in the courtroom.

Today, at a press conference at his Mdina residence, Peralta said that he had also called Owen Bonnici to give his version of events. Peralta said that the parliamentary secretary had told him to "be careful with the media".

In a statement, Bonnici said that soon after he ordered the criminal court director to personally verify what had happened, Peralta called him.

"During the phone call, [I] expressed total disapproval of his actions and was categorical in condemning the manifestly illegal and abusive arrest order," Bonnici said.

"Unfortunately, the Magistrate refused to understand that his actions were wrong and continued insisting with his position."

The parliamentary secretary added that the citizens' condemnation against Peralta's actions was justified: "The public expects the best from the judiciary."

Bonnici added that the government had immediately condemned Peralta's actions. "The party was organised without the permission of the court's director general. It is also untrue that other parties were organised during this legislature. This is a blatant lie."

Peralta today claimed that another party had been planned while two months ago another one was organised in Hall 2.