A Gozitan man and his lawyer were stabbed in a Gozo courtroom in front of the presiding magistrate’s eyes yesterday.
Joseph Portelli, 54, of Żebbuġ suffered multiple stab wounds. He was first taken to Gozo general hospital and later transported by helicopter to Mater Dei Hospital where he is fighting for his life.
His lawyer, Kevin Mompalao, 37, of Xewkija, was slashed in his right arm.
The two were attacked with a penknife by Gozitan Pasqualino Cefai, 32, of Żebbuġ, seconds after Magistrate Josette Demicoli ordered him out of the courtroom.
An eyewitness said the incident happened at noon when Mr Portelli was testifying in a civil lawsuit against Mr Cefai over a fight that broke out between them.
Mr Cefai was ordered to leave the courtroom because he was “acting rudely and arrogantly”. As soon as he walked out of the door, he turned back and lunged at Mr Portelli who was facing the magistrate while standing on the left-hand side of the room.
“He started hitting him (Mr Portelli) repeatedly. I thought he was just hitting and punching him but then I realised that he had a knife and was stabbing him,” the eyewitness said.
Mr Cefai then allegedly turned to Dr Mompalao who raised his right arm to protect himself. When the lawyer moved out of the aggressor’s way, Mr Cefai continued hitting Mr Portelli.
Sources said Dr Mompalao required seven stitches to his right elbow. Mr Portelli fainted and fell against the witness stand as Mr Cefai continued to pummel and stab him.
“He just kept kicking and hitting him in his head and back.
Blades have been brought inside before
I never saw anything like it,” the eyewitness said.
A court marshal was also slightly injured in the incident.
Blood stains were visible on the steps leading down towards the Gozo court’s main door and the stairway outside.
Mr Cefai was arrested and Duty Magistrate Paul Coppini appointed experts to help in his inquiry.
Court employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity, complained about the lack of security.
“This is not the first time that someone carried a penknife into the law courts,” an employee said.
There are no metal detectors in the Gozo court and the only security is provided by a lone policeman.
Call for more security
Gozitan Labour MP Justyne Caruana, a lawyer, yesterday said she was petitioning other lawyers for the suspension of all sittings until security at the Gozo courts improved.
Speaking in the wake of the courtroom stabbing, she called for the installation of a metal detector and the deployment of more security personnel.
“It is a disgrace that there is no security at the Gozo courts and this does not bode well for employees, lawyers and ordinary people seeking justice,” she said.
A spokesman for Justice Minister Chris Said, who is away attending a meeting of the European Council of Ministers, said the minister was in close contact with the Gozo Minister after the incident.
“We want to ensure an increase in the presence of security personnel at the Gozo law courts and that other action is taken for the required level of security to be reached with immediate effect,” the spokesman said.