Three new magistrates, judges set to be sworn in

Three new female magistrates could be expected to be appointed by next week, according to sources close to the judicial selection process.

Rachel Loporto Montebello, daughter of retired magistrate Dennis Montebello, is expected to be among those sworn in. Until recently, she held the post of chairman of Gozo Heliport Ltd, a public company. She was recently a lawyer in Frendo Montebello Avdocates.

Two other lawyers selected for magisterial appointment are Simone Grech, a Gozitan lawyer, and Astrid May Grima, who recently was company secretary for the government property company Malita Investments.

The appointments, set to be sworn in on Monday, will also be accompanied by three possible promotions of magistrates to judges.

These are expected to be Consuelo Scerri Herrera and Anthony Vella, as previously reported by this newspaper, as well as Grazio Mercieca.

Vella is the magistrate leading the inquiry in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and is touted to be made judge in the family court. Grazio Mercieca could be made judge for Gozo, while Scerri Herrera will preside the criminal court.

The new posts come weeks after the appointment of Joseph Azzopardi as Chief Justice after the retirement of Silvio Camilleri.

Recently, Scerri Herrera was elected by her peers in the Court of Magistrates to take one of the two magistrates’ posts in the same Commission for the Administration of Justice. Although having already been vetted by the judicial appointments commission, Scerri Herrera was not instantly promoted.

Anthony Vella’s promotion to judge would instantly precipitate the appointment of a new magistrate to take over the investigation of the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, news of which has concerned the journalists’ organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Basing its assumptions on claims by Portuguese socialist MEP Ana Gomes, RSF has claimed Vella’s promotion might prolong and delay progress in the investigation.

“It comes at the worst possible time for the case and threatens to delay the investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder even more,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.

Grazio Mercieca was appointed magistrate in 2016.

Since 2013, the Labour government has appointed nine magistrates, two judges, and promoted four magistrates to the judiciary.