Defence team insists former Chief Justice never agreed to receive any money
The legal team of former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo argued before the Appeals Court today that their client should never have been found guilty of accepting a bribe since he had never agreed with anyone to receive money and had not accepted any money...
The legal team of former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo argued before the Appeals Court today that their client should never have been found guilty of accepting a bribe since he had never agreed with anyone to receive money and had not accepted any money before handing down judgment.
Dr Arrigo was condemned to two years and nine months in jail after being convicted three months ago of accepting a bribe in order to reduce the prison sentence of a drug trafficker, Mario Camilleri on appeal.
But Dr Joe Giglio, who is appearing for the former Chief Justice, insisted before the appeals court today that as was made clear during the trial, it was normal for prison sentences to be reduced on appeal once there was agreement between the prosecution and the defence, and the prosecution had actually expected Mr Camilleri’s prison term to be shorter.
Dr Giglio said that the fact that a man, in this case Anthony Grech Sant, dropped off money at Dr Arrigo’s office did not mean that Dr Arrigo wanted that money, or had been bribed.
By that time, the Camilleri sentence had already been written and in terms of Maltese law, bribery would only have taken place if payment was received before the ‘favour’ was made.
Dr Giglio insisted that Dr Arrigo had intended to give the money to charity, as he said during his trial. A letter from his friend Fr Saviour Grech would have proved this, had it been accepted as evidence. ( Fr Saviour Grech had not been allowed to give evidence by his UK Archbishop) The plans to hand over the money to charity started before the police investigations into this case, Dr Giglio said.
He added that the charge that Dr Arrigo had influenced anybody had not been proved and Mr Justice Filletti, who had sat on the same court in the Camilleri trial, had said he was not influenced in any way.
The appeal is being heard by Mr Justice David Scicluna, Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKean and Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri.
The defence team also includes Drs Robert Abela and Joseph Arrigo.