The Nationalist Party has requested that Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg gives a full public account of the information that was given to Prime Minister Robert Abela with regard to the magisterial inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia.
On Monday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Magistrate Marsanne Farrugia notified the AG that the inquiry will be extended by 30 days.
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.
A statement released by the PN and signed by justice spokesperson Karol Aquilina said that it found it unacceptable that information given to the AG regarding a magisterial inquiry which is secret, ends up in the hands of Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard “to be used for political purposes.”
“This is a clear abuse of power and a betrayal of the obligations that the Attorney General has towards the Maltese and Gozitan people.”
It added that this information that was given to Abela and Attard is being used to deceive people, after the government had been, by all means, resisting calling a public inquiry.
If the AG chooses not to grant this request, the PN said that this will continue to show that the AG is controlled by Abela and Attard in violation clear of its constitutional obligations to act independently and not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority, the party said.