Man barred from using title of Grand Master

A court yesterday upheld a request filed by the Order of St John of Jerusalem and prohibited Basilio CalG from carrying out any investitures or any other administrative activities in Malta on behalf of the Order.

Mr CalG was also prohibited from using the title of Grand Master of the Order in Malta.

The application for the warrant of prohibitory injunction was filed by Chev. Louis Scerri Montaldo in his personal name and on behalf of the Order, also known as the Knights of Malta and the Order of St John.

Mr Justice Raymond C. Pace in the First Hall of the Civil Court heard that Chev. Scerri Montaldo was the actual Grand Master of the Order while Mr CalG was claiming that he was the Order's 77th Grand Master.

Mr CalG was organising investiture ceremonies and issuing diplomas to new knights. He was also going to crown himself Grand Master.

The court said that the parties had presented different versions of the facts, but that the Order had proven its case on a prima facie basis.

Chev. Scerri Montalto was proven to be the Order's Grand Master and had appeared on a notarial deed on its behalf. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs also recognised Chev. Scerri Montalto as being the Grand Master of the Order.

On his part, Mr CalG was claiming that a decision had been taken last December that Chev. Scerri Montaldo was to be removed from his post of Grand Master. But the documents exhibited by Mr CalG had not been authenticated.

The court, therefore, upheld the Order's request for the warrant of prohibitory injunction against Mr CalG.

Lawyer Gavin Gulia acted for Chev. Scerri Montaldo while lawyer Noel Bartolo acted for Mr CalG.