Waylon Johnston
AG asks court to allow confiscation of gaming machines
The Attorney General yesterday asked a court to revoke a temporary injunction against police action to confiscate gaming machines at eight arcades.
The police began a nationwide crackdown on Thursday targeting some 80 arcades and confiscated 23 machines before some owners ran to their lawyers and managed to secure a temporary warrant of prohibitory injunction against confiscation of their own equipment.
The warrant was granted by Mr Justice Alberto Magri in the First Hall of the Civil Court.
In the application before the judge, the Attorney General said that in their request for the warrant, the owners had admitted that they were running gambling outlets without a licence.
The police were carrying out their duty by elevating the evidence, which was their right by law, the AG said.
He pointed out that a warrant could only be issued to protect civil and constitutional rights but not for a person suspected of committing a crime.
The Attorney General also held that the decision was not within the jurisdiction of the First Hall of the Civil Court as it did not concern civil or constitutional rights.
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Cecil Herbert Jones
Aug 8th 2009, 22:12
@AG
The World is watching!!! This is embarrassing!!!
Dr Emmy Bezzina, B.A.,LL.D.
Aug 8th 2009, 12:18
THE AG should be commended for having acted ultra fast in attempting to have a Warrant obtained revoked,albeit without success through allegedly the lawyers involved not having been notified.However,this begs the question as to why more than two months after the EU Parliamentary Elections,and despite being formally requested to investigate by means of two Judicial Protests dated July 6 and July 31 respectively,the AG has still not raised a single finger to bring to Justice those Candidates and Agents who clearly violated the Electoral Law and even took false Oaths,as all the Electorate clearly knows.
The AG is not there to serve the Government dictates only, but holding one of the important posts in the country makes the holder responsible for seeing that the fundamental laws of the country that protect our Democracy are clearly safeguarded. Some Candidates are ridiculing our whole Nation by not even having the guts to take an Oath or make a Solemn Declaration.AG the Country is Awaiting & Watching!
Charles Sammut
Aug 8th 2009, 10:07
The AG can be very efficient in cases like this one. He acted in less than 24 hours.
How come, a month after Judicial Protests were filed by two MEP election candidates in respect of overspending during the election campaign, he still has not moved. Does he have the luxury of picking and choosing? Or does someone else instruct him what to do?