Close examination of events that led to former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo being charged with accepting a bribe would show that he was innocent, his defence lawyer told an appeals court yesterday.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio gave a detailed breakdown of the timeline of events, until Dr Arrigo's arraignment in August 2002 when he was speaking at the first sitting before the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Last November, Dr Arrigo was jailed for two years and nine months for reducing the jail term of a drug trafficker after receiving a bribe of about €11,650, exerting influence on other judges to follow suit and revealing the details of a judgment before it was handed down.

The judge presiding over the trial had found that Dr Arrigo had reduced the 16-year jail term of Mario Camilleri, also known as L-Imnieħru, on July 5, 2002.

Dr Arrigo was sitting on the Criminal Court of Appeal together with Mr Justice Patrick Vella and Mr Justice Joseph Filletti. Dr Vella had also been bribed and admitted to accepting €23,000 for reducing the term and was jailed for two years. Mr Justice Filletti was not implicated.

Dr Arrigo appealed the judgment and his case is being heard by Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri, Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon and Mr Justice David Scicluna.

Dr Giglio explained that, when Mr Camilleri's original 16-year judgment was handed down, Mr Camilleri's lawyers were stunned as they were under the impression that the prosecution - then led by lawyer Mark Said from the Attorney General's Office - had spoken of a 12-year jail term if Mr Camilleri filed a guilty plea, which he did. At the time, plea bargaining was not regulated by law.

In January 2002, Anthony Grech Sant, Dr Arrigo's childhood friend, was approached to help Mr Camilleri reduce his jail term on appeal.

Dr Giglio pointed out that Mr Grech Sant had testified that, when he mentioned money to Dr Arrigo, the latter said he did not do such things and the conversation ended there. Mr Camilleri's name was never mentioned. (Mr Grech Sant was jailed for 20 months for his involvement in the bribery of the two former judges.)

In April 2002, Mr Camilleri's lawyers filed an appeal before the then Chief Justice, Mr Justice Filletti and then Mr Justice Vella. During submissions the lawyers and the prosecution spoke about the 12-year plea bargaining agreement.

Dr Filletti testified that Dr Vella - who then presided over Criminal Court sittings - felt the judgment should be reduced. Mr Justice Filletti said he felt this should be cut to 13 years.

By then the plea bargaining law, that came into force in May 2002, was being finalised by Parliament.

In April, Dr Vella penned the first draft judgment confirming Mr Camilleri's 16-year jail term. Dr Arrigo pointed out that they still had to wait for the lawyers' submissions before deciding.

The case was put off for judgment to July 5, 2002. A few days before that, the defence and the prosecution called a meeting with the three judges to stress the plea bargaining agreement. Dr Vella eventually reduced the punishment to 12 years after the three judges agreed and were satisfied it was within the legal parameters.

Various other events followed, Dr Giglio went on to explain. On July 4, Joseph Zammit, known as Is-Sei, met Dr Arrigo in Valletta and mentioned that Mr Camilleri was willing to pay him to change the judgment. (Mr Zammit was jailed for two years after he admitted to bribing the two former judges.)

Evidence showed that Dr Arrigo told him off. By this date, the 12-year judgement had already been written, Dr Giglio pointed out.

After the judgment was handed down, Mr Grech Sant was approached by Mr Zammit and Mr Camilleri's son who told him to pay Dr Arrigo.

Sometime later Mr Grech Sant went to Mr Arrigo's offices with an envelope containing the money. When he handed it over, Dr Arrigo told him to take the money away and give it to charity. But Dr Arrigo kept the envelope.

Tormented by what happened he told a friend priest and they planned to give the cash to charity. But before he could do so, he was arrested and charged.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio, Robert Abela and Joseph Arrigo appeared for Dr Arrigo.

The head of prosecution within the Attorney General's Office, Anthony Barbara, prosecuted.

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