Trial of former Chief Justice starts today

The trial of former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo is due to start this morning following the conclusion of proceedings last July against the men who were jailed for allegedly bribing him.

He will face charges of bribery and trading in influence in a case that has already seen former Judge Patrick Vella being jailed for two years for accepting €23,000 to reduce the jail term of a drug trafficker, Mario Camilleri, also known as L-Imnieħru, from a 16-year-jail term to 12 years.

The former Chief Justice's trial could start after the proceedings against all other key protagonists - Mr Camilleri, his son Pierre and middleman Anthony John Grech Sant - were concluded on July 30.

Mr Camilleri was jailed for four years and his son and Mr Grech Sant were jailed for three years each.

The men appealed the decision but the Criminal Court of Appeal confirmed the jail terms of both Mr Camilleri and his son while Mr Grech Sant's term was cut from three years to 20 months for his limited involvement in the case.

The proceedings against the former Chief Justice started when he was arraigned together with Dr Vella on August 4, 2002.

The judges were charged with two counts of bribery and with revealing official secrets. The case was first brought to light by former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami during a press conference, where he revealed that the two men were being investigated.

The judges had filed a case in the First Hall of the Civil Court arguing that comments by Dr Fenech Adami during the press conference were in breach of their fundamental human rights because they prejudiced the case. However, that claim was dismissed and the trials continued.