President George Abela has urged prosecuting officers to be precise when issuing charges, saying that someone had to “answer” for mistakes.

“I’m making an appeal, especially to the prosecution, to be careful in the way citations are issued,” Dr Abela said yesterday at the Palace.

His comments come after the latest acquittal over a technicality, when three policemen and a bouncer were last week cleared of beating a French student in a Paceville bar because the wrong date and time appeared on the charge sheet. That followed the acquittal of former priest Godwin Scerri on the charge of raping a minor in his care, because the place where the incident took place was not the same as that indicated in the charge sheet.

“If mistakes are made, someone has to answer for them but care has to be taken in writing the exact date and time in the citations,” Dr Abela said.

Society was shocked by these mistakes and justice had be done with the innocent, he added.

He also cautioned the public to take care in “judging judgments” and not to compare one with another, adding that the courts and judiciary were society’s “pillar”.

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of two new judges, Jacqueline Padovani and Robert Mangion, Dr Abela said that members of the judiciary had to take decisions based on what was before them and they could not react to public criticism.

Dr Abela spoke about how difficult it was for the country’s executive to choose a member of the judiciary, saying there was a high level of scrutiny of the behaviour of the possible candidates.

“We scrutinise accurately not to make mistakes and choose carefully who is appointed,” he said while congratulating the two new judges.

Turning to Judge Padovani, Dr Abela said that, for many years, she had taken decisions that affected society while Judge Mangion had a long career as a lawyer and had specialised in mediation – a sector that needed to be strengthened.

In a short but heartfelt address, Judge Padovani thanked her family for the never-ending support – especially her mother for “dedicating your life to your children and to our upbringing.”

Describing her new appointment as a “historic moment” for her, she also expressed her deep gratitude to her husband Ivan who “acts as a soundboard, gives me the opinion of the man in the street and of how scientists see the judiciary”.

The first woman to be appointed magistrate in 1991, Judge Padovani also had special words for her daughter Julia who “is the apple of my eye – my inspiration”.

“I know the weight of my role and will dedicate my life to the vocation of justice,” she said.

Meanwhile, Judge Mangion – former president of the Chamber of Advocates – also thanked his parents and family for their never-ending support.

“I understand the responsibility of my new role and will be of service to those who turn to the courts for justice. My behaviour, inside and outside court, will conform with the code of ethics,” Judge Mangion said.

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