Former chief justice Noel Arrigo has filed an appeal against his jail sentence.

Dr Arrigo was jailed for two years and nine months on November 26 after being convicted of accepting an €11,500 bribe to reduce a jail term of convicted drug trafficker Mario Camilleri, known as l-Imnieħru.

Once the appeal is decided, the sentence can only be confirmed or reduced, not increased.

All those involved in the corruption case, including former judge Patrick Vella, were jailed. Dr Vella, who admitted to accepting €23,000 in exchange for reducing Mr Camilleri's jail term, was sentenced to two years in March 2007.

Dr Arrigo contested the proceedings tooth and nail from when he was first investigated in July 2002. During the trial, he admitted he lied to the police during interrogation to derail the investigations.