Lawyer demands inquiry on Family Court lift

A lawyer yesterday filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court complaining about the poor condition of the lifts in the Family Court.

Emmy Bezzina filed his protest as a citizen of Malta and of the European Union, as a lawyer and official of the courts and as founder and leader of Alpha Political Party.

The protest was filed against the Director of Courts, the Director of the Family Court, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Justice and the Interior, the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice and against the Attorney General.

The lawyer claimed that on July 19, he and his client were leaving the Family Court after attending a sitting before a judicial assistant on the third floor. They got into the small lift, which was in pitch darkness, and started their descent to the ground floor. However the lift stopped and the two remained locked inside in pitch darkness and with no ventilation for half an hour.

It resulted that the alarm bell was not working and the two men sought assistance through the lawyer's mobile phone.

It further resulted that there was no technician on standby at the lawcourts and when public maintenance staff arrived the lift had to be winched up to a level at which the doors would open.

The lawyer demanded that an investigation be held about the incident and that protection be offered to the public. He held the authorities liable in damages.