The Nationalist Party has filed a complaint to the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life asking him to investigate Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard regarding statements they both made with regard to the magisterial inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia.
The letter the PN sent to Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi referred to the statement that PN published yesterday, signed by justice spokesperson Karol Aquilina, which requested that Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg publishes the confidential information which she gave to Abela and Attard regarding the magisterial inquiry.
In response to the statement the PN published, the Labour Party accused the PN of attacking the AG and was only concerned with delaying justice in the Sofia case.
From the way Abela and Attard spoke it is clear that either they or the people who they are in charge of communicated with the AG and obtained information from her which, the PN said they have no right to receive.
“This was done in violation of statutory and ethical duties and is behaviour that goes against the law and constitutes an abuse of power.”
On Monday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Magistrate Marsanne Farrugia notified the AG that the inquiry will be extended by 30 days, sources informed The Malta Independent.
Following this news, Abela later announced that a public inquiry into Sofia’s death will be held, making a U-turn on his previous refusals, and also took aim at the delays in the Magisterial inquiry. Abela made this announcement a little over an hour before thousands gathered in front of Castille to attend Sofia’s vigil. Just days prior, Abela and the PL MPs shut down a motion filed by the Opposition that was requesting a public inquiry into the death of Sofia.
In reply, the Labour Party described Bernard Grech and the PN as being hypocritical, and are defending the delay of a magisterial inquiry.
The PN’s complain will not hinder the PM, Justice Minister and the government from insisting that complete justice is attained in the Sofia case.