Magistrate raps acting prisons director

J Oatmon

Jan 28th 2011, 18:25

I agree with the magistrate - if Supt. Zammit really had a problem why did he not call the court on his mobile? Supt. Zammit should be fined for the delay (contempt of court?) - that would ensure prompt attendances in future. Non attendance/delays for court sessions should always have a reasonably high monetary penalty (if the excuse is inadequate) - this would stop the time wasters ruling the court calender, with the non attendances making a farce out of legal procedures. Two 'no shows' by the same person should mean a week in jail as well as the fine. This would help clear the backlog of cases - but these measures seem beyond the abilities of the Malta courts system. Probably it will be the same shambles for years, and the same hand ringing - but no action.

Charles Busuttil

Jan 28th 2011, 18:12

Some of us really have short memory. Have you forgotten the incident when the CHIEF JUSTICE condemned a court worker to a day's imprisonment for not switching on the airconditioner in the courtroom?

charlie muscat

Jan 28th 2011, 17:42

mux sewwa li ax wassal ftit tard il magistrat jajru gidib mela jiena xsupost najdilom limhalfin iena ghandi 71 sena u kawza bdied sentej qabel twilit jiena u ghadni nistena biex nikonkludu din il kawza sur zammit jiena nemnek

martin saliba

Jan 28th 2011, 17:38

How are these self appointed gods allowed to trample on anyone they choose. Abraham Zammit , whom i do not know , is a public offical and knows the seriousness of being under oath and the magistrate abused his position by saying that he dose not believe him which translates into calling him a liar.

eddie attard

Jan 28th 2011, 17:17

A storm in a teacup.

Franco Farrugia

Jan 28th 2011, 17:01

The Acting Director should not have been publicly humiliated in this manner. Whatever the reasons, he is a high public official and the Magistrate should have rapped him in private, not in public.

Joe Portelli

Jan 28th 2011, 16:57

There really is no objectivity , even when it comes to courts. If the Magistrate is lossing trust there must be a procedure that can be followed and not use an ongoing proceeding as a platform to question and even accuse the person responsible to assist the courts with secure transport of individuals , of Perjury. Restrain and some things should be conducted behind closed doors, wonder why this is allowed to overshadow the proceeding - In other countries, the prisoners or bail people can be accomodated in the same building as the courts, perhaps the Magistrate can recomend court hearings at an allocated room at the prison, then he can not accept any excuses for being delayed.

ray sacco

Jan 28th 2011, 16:55

so when a magistrate is made to wait, its as if a crime is committed. but what about when cikku l poplu is made to wait for hours outside the court room because the magistrate or judge is late???should the magistrate or judge be arrogantly interrogated why he/she was late by those waiting???

m.farrugia

Jan 28th 2011, 16:39

la l-magistrat ma emminx lis-Sur Zammit li kien qieghed jixhed taht gurament ghaliex ma hax passi kontra tieghu. Il-magistrat ried jimplika li s-sur Zammit ha gurament falz. Dawn affarijit serji. F'hiex wasalna. Jekk is-sur Zammit kienx qed jigdeb jew le wiehed jista jkun jaf ghax jara x'hin telqet il-karozza mill-Mount Carmel.

Michael Vella

Jan 28th 2011, 16:27

Quite easy to figure out if he was saying the truth or not really. Did anyone experience any traffic problems between 8.00 - 10.00 this morning, caused by a broken down car when passing by Mount Carmel hospital in the direction of Valletta?

john borg

Jan 28th 2011, 16:27

Anyone who has been in the courtroom with Magistrate Silvio Meli must have his own opinion about the way things are conducted in the courtroom. Those who have never been, should go and learn for themselves

A.Busuttil

Jan 28th 2011, 16:19

“You are losing my trust,” well said
but the people are also losing the trust of the court of justice when same people are brought infront of justice week after week for same offence . The court fines them some euros which makes luceitive for the offender to do it again. Its worth it.
Show us faith in judgment.......

S.Azzopardi

Jan 28th 2011, 15:05

I have attended quite a few court sittings and when i recieve summons to appear in court the all have written to appear at 9am ,,,,,,in most halls , sittings start at his/her Magisty's earliest convieniance some times even at 10 am !
So whats the big fuss all about Dr Meli ?

A.Saliba

Jan 28th 2011, 15:05

Well done Mag Meli, that's how the courts should be!

R. Pace

Jan 28th 2011, 14:47

Spot on Alison Bezzina. My experience is of postponing a morning's meetings so as to appear as witness in court. I left early in the morning - to avoid the 8 o'clock rush hour - after preparing my children earlier for school and cooking for all the family - since I work from home I usually cook at about 1pm. But I didn't know how long I would be in court so I thought ahead. When I arrived in court on time at 9am, I was told 'diferita'. Just like that. The irony is that they phone you from the police station on the eve to remind you that you have to appear in court the next day, could't the police station be informed that the case was deferred, so that instead of calling us to go to court, they call us to tell us not to go? I had never been to court before, and another woman who was waiting in the corridor, seeing my surprise at having gone into all that trouble for nothing, told me 'but why are you surprised? this is the norm,'. I just wish that they realise that we are human beings too.

L. Camilleri

Jan 28th 2011, 14:23

AND I FULLY BELIVE SUPT ZAMMIT AND SYMPATHISE WITH HIM. It's the people who have lost trust in justice and the courts.

Kevin Zammit

Jan 28th 2011, 14:21

Inkun tlift il fiducja f'dan il pajjiz u mbaghad kultant johrog xi hadt b'par dobluni sew u jerga jinkonvincini li hwn minn hu kapaci jghid l-affarijiet kif ghandhom ikunu.

L-ipettur suppost jaf li kaz serju u ghallura messu hasiblu kmieni sew. Kull min iwassal it tfal fil ghodu nahseb jafhom it toroq hux. Skuza banali tat traffiku.

Alfred Bugeja

Jan 28th 2011, 14:17

The Magistrate probably needs to get out more often. The road through Attard is a nightmare in the morning as a norm and abominable throughout the day if there's an accident or broken-down vehicle.

Alison Bezzina

Jan 28th 2011, 14:16

Of course this sort of discipline works only one way...God forbid you are the defendant, or a witness in a case, as you'd spend hours, and days waiting in the corridors, hoping the case is not deferred without notice (yet again), asked to take the witness stand to help the police, take time off work to do so, risk your well being when asked to testify in front of the accused, give out your address in full view of a potential criminal, only to be told off for having sunglasses on your head!!! Hope floats but in my case vs trust in our legal system, it's hit the sea bed! http://www.timesofmalta.com/blogs/view/20110123/alison-bezzina/the-price-of-justice

Etienne Bonanno

Jan 28th 2011, 14:10

What a farce. The courtroom must have been a riot. It's scary that people who are so immature are entrusted with so much power.

t. borg

Jan 28th 2011, 14:03

i believe that the director was telling the truth it cannot be otherwise.

Joseph Abela

Jan 28th 2011, 13:54

This is a very serious matter.
Are we losing our grip, the institutions?
Heaven help us.

C Muscat

Jan 28th 2011, 13:52

What a pathetic state we live in!!!!