Court hears of links between Judge Pace, Psaila and Caruana
Judge Pace (in rear seat) being taken to court on Thursday.
Prosecutors this morning told a court how phone interceptions had shown a link between Judge Ray Pace and Raymond Caruana and Sandro Psaila, who were being investigated in drug-related cases.
Evidence was given at the opening of the compilation of evidence against Caruana, a 51-year-old truck driver from Zebbug, and Psaila, a 40-year-old restaurateur of Valletta, who are accused of having attempted to bribe Judge Ray Pace.
(Psaila is undergoing separate drugs proceedings.)
The two were arraigned on Thursday, an hour before Judge Pace was himself arraigned and accused of bribery and trading in influence.
Judge Pace resigned from the Bench on Saturday.
Police superintendent Paul Vassallo told the court that on December 11 he and other police officers were summoned to the office of the Police Commissioner, where they were informed that they would participate in an investigation into suspected bribery of a judge.
They heard recordings of phone intercepts between Psaila and Caruana where the judge and Darren Desira, a man convicted in a drug case, were mentioned.
Supt Vassallo said Psaila is the part-owner of a restaurant in Qawra where Judge Pace used to eat for free.
In the intercepts Psaila and Caruana discussed how Darren Desira's jail term could be increased.
One of the intercepts was from Judge Pace to Psaila informing him that Desira had been jailed for 18 years.
Asked whether money was exchanged, Supt Vassallo said that when Pace informed Psaila about Desira's prison term, the reply to the judge was 'I will give them to you'.
Supt Vassallo said this had been a straightforward case for the police.
(Desira was jailed for 18 years by another judge - Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano, who is expected to be a witness for the prosecution)
The court was told that connections between Caruana, Psaila and the judge also involved other people, including mechanics and the installer of a CCTV system outside Judge Pace's home.
There were also connections between Caruana and Psaila and the judge including a Mini Cooper bought for Lynn Pace, Ray Pace's wife, mechanics who repaired the car and a contractor of CCTV.
Clinton Grima, an importer of second hand cars told the court that 18 months ago he had sold a Mini Cooper to Lynn Pace, the judge's wife, for €13,500.
He explained that he had an agreement with with another man from whom he had bought a garage and owed him money.
After he sold the car to Mrs Pace, he got a phone call from this man who told him that the money paid by the judge's wife would be deducted from what he was owed for the garage.
Another mechanic, Joseph Borg of Msida, said the Mini Cooper had developed a fault which he had repaired. Caruana collected the car and told him he would pay him.
The Head of Security Service, Godfrey Scicluna, exhibited warrants authorising the phone tapping from last August.
He said that the person who had installed the CCTV system could not give evidence at this stage because he was involved in a court case because he did not charge VAT.
Francis Caruana told the court that he owed money to Raymond Caruana over the registration of a vehicle. He said that Raymond Caruana had demanded immediate payment of €2,000 warning him that he would suffer the same fate as Darren Desira.
Caruana and Psaila were granted bail against a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €10,000.
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Anthony Paul Naudi
Dec 17th 2012, 21:51
Jahasra fuq kul argument tispiccaw tikkummentaw fuq il-politika ghax dak ghamel hekk u l-iehor ghamel hekk dak qal hekk u l-iehor qal hekk u l-kantalina ma tispicca qatt. Jien nghid haga wahda li l-qorti ghall-izvinturat qieghda. Happy Xmas lil kulhadd u nissuggerixxi li tiehdu break.
A.P.Naudi
Joseph P. Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 17:14
Eddy Privitera,
Why didn't the PL proceeded against Lorry Sant when they had proof of corruption. I did take action against Lorry Sant & co and suffered consequences. I instituted a case for damages for property taken off me and five judges declared that damages should be paid to me, but Judge Pace awarded me a NIL AMOUNT.
Joseph Fenech
Dec 17th 2012, 17:38
@ Joseph P Borg.
Tahseb li s - sur Privitera se jwiegbek . Dawn m'ghandhom twegibiet ta xejn . Qatt ma kien hawn zmien ta Korruzzjoni fil - pajjiz daqsmeta kien hemm Lorry Sant u l - klikka tieghu fejn sallum hemm nies li ghadhom ibatu l - konsegwenzi.
Claire Busuttil
Dec 17th 2012, 19:24
@Borg....allura tahseb li ghax saru zballi fil passat....inkomplu nizbaljaw??
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 17th 2012, 19:54
@ Claire Busuttil.
It-twegiba hi "iva", nibzghu li "l-izbalji" (l-abbuzi) jkomplu jsiru ga la darba Joseph Muscat sejjah lura fit-tmexxija tal-LP dawk l-istess nies li kienu "zbaljaw" fi zmien Mintoff u KMB u li kienu twarrbu min Alfred Sant. Ghala le?
Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)
Dec 17th 2012, 15:27
I am now dreading a discovery of further collateral damage to the institution, by this investigation.
Mark Vella
Dec 17th 2012, 15:25
Xbajt f dan il pajjiz.
Aldo Buttigieg
Dec 17th 2012, 16:09
Taqtax qalbek habib wara l- maltemp jigi l- bnazzi!
M. Zammit
Dec 17th 2012, 17:25
Make a difference then!
C Muscat
Dec 18th 2012, 08:48
We need a lot of fresh air from PL.
Ronnie Callus
Dec 17th 2012, 14:45
Meta tara dan kollu kif jista ic-cittadin onest jerga jafda lil pajjizna ghand l-istess politikanti.Kif jista jemmen l-inkjesta li ntalbu jsiru mill-oppozzizjoni saru u gew maqtugha tajjeb.Dan il-pajjiz fdawn l-ahhar 25sena mar il-bahar f'kollox ghax il-kurruzzjoni hi mifruxa f'hafna organizzazjonijiet.X'ma tizdietx id-droga,serq,frodi etc;.Veru tal-misthija.Li qalilna Dr.Franco kollu minnu.
Louis Muscat
Dec 17th 2012, 18:19
Mill jidher ma kontx ghadek twielidt fi zmien il-MLP
Michael Seychell
Dec 17th 2012, 18:21
Mr. Callus il-Pulizija ilha tinvestiga dan il-kaz ta' l-anqas minn Awwissu li ghadda, minkejja li kienu jafu li hemm Imhallef li seta kien involut. Taht il-Gvern tal-P.N. il Pulizija ma thares lejn pozizzjoni, ucuh, kulur politiku jew il wicc ta' min jinvestigaw.
Taht Il-Labour ic-cirkostanzi kienu mod iehor, bizzejjed wiehed jaqra uhud mill-kummenti li dehru.
Michael Seychell Tal-Pieta
David Magro
Dec 18th 2012, 06:59
Mr.seychell, staqsi lil ufficjali tal Gwu meta sfaw arrestati u mtella l qorti taht il pn...l-unika darba li ufficjali tal union f malta li sfaw arrestati u mtella l qorti! Jew ma tiftakarx? Int trid titkellem fuq jheddijiet? Hallina
M Grima
Dec 17th 2012, 14:13
If the Whistle Blower's act had not been shelved by GonziPN we could probably have had hundreds of such cases not only where it concerns the judiciary sector, but worse still, those which come from the political arena. Besides fiddling with this act for over 5 years Dr. Gonzi has not agreed with Dr. Muscat that this act, when enacted should have retroactive effect.
Who is playing the hypocrite?
S S. Warren
Dec 17th 2012, 13:51
We are all humans and we all do mistakes.... To counter act that factor, they should be audited frequently whether they like it or not....
There is only 1 god and he doesn't for part of the judiciary.
Frans Aguis
Dec 17th 2012, 13:20
I would show no mercy to these people who are entrusted with our justice, and then abuse the power given to them.
c scudi
Dec 17th 2012, 13:17
Judges corruption is henious!!
David Caruana
Dec 17th 2012, 13:14
The Maltese citizens do not deserve anything better than the above story.
"Every country has the government (and opposition) it deserves."
The people are to blame for allowing our country to be the only European state in which only 2 parties are represented.
This is NOT a healthy democracy.
If you really want change, vote out the PNPL duopoly.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Dec 17th 2012, 14:44
Agreed - but we need a system that will take away the power of the Pm to appoint judges and magistrates. They are all political appointees and this has to stop. We now have politicians attacking the judiciary juyst to score political points. AD should propose a new system of idependent appointments of the judiciary.
JIMMY ATANASIO
Dec 17th 2012, 15:12
it does not matter who you vote for.you will find good and bad in all parties.that judge should have the book thrown at him so an example could be set period.
Joseph Vassallo, (Bugibba)
Dec 17th 2012, 15:18
With a third party, the country would have a permanent coalition government, be that good or bad. The smallest party would then have the biggest say. It wouldn't make sense. Just look at Italy's multi-party history and wonder how that would fit into a 65-seat house.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 17th 2012, 17:02
@ David Caruana
There is no law in Malta restricting the number of political parties. The failure of more credible parties to emerge is solely due to the absence of more credible political parties. To think of it, there is nothing in our recent political history to suggest that since 1987 Malta already had two credible political parties alternating in government.
Adrian P. Cassar
Dec 17th 2012, 20:51
@ Francis Saliba
There are no third parties because the 2 parties agree to keep them out.
In Malta a party can get 3000 votes in every district, I.e 10% of votes and NOT get a single seat!!
In fact AD once got 4% of votes, and did NOT get 4% of seats!
A third party can never get 20% of votes in a district. Your party is happy with that cos it keeps them safe!
Francis Saliba M.D.
Dec 18th 2012, 08:51
@Adrian P Cassar.
A third political party CAN get the needed percentage if it has adequate support - it can even displace one of the previously entrenched parties. God help us if ever a tiny political party with perhaps one parliamentary seat would be able to hold the vast majority of electors to ransom just as Franco Debono has done during this legislature with such dire results.
Bill Khan
Dec 18th 2012, 14:03
@ David Caruana
We have quite a few parties in the UK but they are all on the take and properties of the bankers. Best to elect representatives from each constituency without any affiliation from any party. Party system is a curse. Candidates promise all but once they are in they do not do a thing. they just toe the line of their respective corrupt parties.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 17th 2012, 13:13
U jekk hemm dan il-hmieg fil-gudikatura, xi hadd jemmen li m'hemmx ferm aktar hmieg fil-politika, specjalment meta hemm daqstant miljuni involuti f'kuntratti etc... ?????
J. Debono
Dec 17th 2012, 14:02
Naqbel mieghek, imma l-problema tieghek taf x'inhi?
Li ghandek il-mentalita kompletament zbaljata, li hemm partit partikolari li hu mahmug hafna, u l-partit l-iehor safi daqs hamiema bajda.
Meta ma tkomplix idahhal il-politika f'kollox, forsi xi darba ssib li xi hadd jaghti kasek u jisimghek.
Nenu Cassar
Dec 17th 2012, 14:27
Sur Privitera, tahseb li l-hmieg sejjer xi darba jieqaf ikun min ikun fil-gvern? Il-flus jaghmu lil kulhadd. Fid-dinja kulhadd ghandu prezzu: jista' jkunu flus, nisa, u anke bewsa u elf favur iehor.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Dec 17th 2012, 14:43
Who does not know that politics are filty? The poblem is to prove it. It is no use throwing mud and not being able to prove it.Than obviously it is a matter of credibility. You must have believed Anglu and I believe Simon. The swing will soon become a round about if we have more of Anglu. Keep it up Anglu unless Muscat shuts you up. Simon will debate Franco any time once he is made a PL deputy
Richard Caruana
Dec 17th 2012, 17:14
Qisu insejtu zmien is-sebghinijiet u t-tmeninijiet Sur Privitera, meta il-korruzzjoni kienet istitut protett mill-politika.
Forsi int wiehed minn dawk li ma kellekx ghalfejn thallas extra biex tiehu TV tal-kulur dak iz-zmien, jew biex ikollok telefon (anke jekk ma kienx jahdem kwazi qatt).
H. Psaila
Dec 17th 2012, 21:29
Ezatt kif anke kienu isiru fi zmienkom wkoll. Tinsiex li kulhadd ghandhu x'ixxomm Sur Privitera.
joseph borg st john
Dec 18th 2012, 03:39
Privitera int ghandek il wicc tiskanta bil hmieg fil politika mela insejt fiz zminkom kemm kien hemm hmieg u korruzioni u meta kien ikollok bzon xi haga li kien haqqek rid thallas ghaliha lil xi kanvasser jew xi driver ta xi ministru u dawn in nies adghom ma saqqajna inqas ma tparla fil vojt iktar taqta figura ahjar.
Mario Farrugia
Dec 18th 2012, 07:04
Issa meta jitla il-lejber inaddaf il-pajjiz minn kull korruzzjoni u jiehu l-premju Nobel ghall-paci, trankwillita u serhan tal-mohh gol-mediterran.
Evarist Saliba
Dec 17th 2012, 12:54
All comments that seek to link such behaviour with unrelated others are red-herrings meant to divert attention from the ugliness of this case.
Shame.
George Calleja
Dec 17th 2012, 12:47
Xokkanti meta taqra kif certi nies allegatament jinxtraw anki ghal affarijiet relattivament zghar!!
Victor Laiviera
Dec 17th 2012, 12:42
In view of the above, should there not be an investigation of the recent case where a man who attempted to kill another by running him over with his car got off scot-free on the grounds that, being from Mellieha, he was more easily offended?
Mr Christopher Xuereb
Dec 18th 2012, 07:27
Hear, hear
Joseph Buhagiar
Dec 17th 2012, 12:39
This is of course shame for all of us Maltese citizens who depend on the integrity of our courts. The parties being judges and criminals. The motivation greed money.
And what about Ministers and Contractors. Is it not the same. Another 5 years passed. The budget gives the ordinary people in the street some money. But the whistle blower act was never enacted.Shame Dr. Gonzi.
Francis Bellizzi
Dec 17th 2012, 12:27
The three amigos!
William Caligari
Dec 17th 2012, 12:18
its time for Maltese people to change everything!!!!
Nenu Cassar
Dec 17th 2012, 14:36
change what and with what? For your information Ray Pace was nominated judge during the short period 1996-98 of a labour government. Other judges/magistrates that were nominated during the same period of Sant's premiership were: Magistrates Consuelo Scerri Herrera and Abigail Lofaro, Judges Patrick Vella and Farrugia Sacco. To be fair Chief Justice Noel Arrigo was appointed by the nationalists.
Ronnie Callus
Dec 17th 2012, 15:04
You are hundred percent correct in saying that. Malta has to change from its roots 'GHAX IL-HUTA MINN RASHA TINTEN'. Ic-cittaddin ilu jhossa din biss kellu jkun Franco Debono li jcaqlaq l-affarijiet. Fejn mhemmx ONESTA tirrenja d-Disonesta.( KURRUZZJONI). u xejn mhu xejn alla jbierek.
William Caligari
Dec 17th 2012, 16:19
ma skoprejx id-dinja Nenu!!!!
inbilli saru fl'1996/98,dan ifisser li kienu validi,
x'gara, u il-ghala maz-zmien l-affarijiet inbidlu?
nistaqsi? bdejna nemmnu li diehla certa laxkizza?
iva; its time for Maltese people to change everything!!!!!!
carmel parnis
Dec 17th 2012, 18:08
Well mentioning Dr Franco Debono , can you just give one example of any suggestion made by Dr Debono in favour of the innocent victims >
Nenu Cassar
Dec 18th 2012, 10:07
Veru li hemm bzonn li certi affarijiet jinbidlu, imma l-labour fil-gvern ma hux is-soluzzjoni. It-'track record' tal-labour hu wiehed xokkanti. Tal-labour dejjem kienu kontra dak kollu li seta' jgib lill-Malta 'l quddiem. M'ghandniex ninsew li l-labour kien issospenda l-Qorti Kostituzzjonali ghal xhur shah, u darba ohra gheddet li jissospendi anke l-Kostituzzjoni ta' Malta.
D. A . Agius
Dec 17th 2012, 11:48
INteresting... do we have tapping orders on Senior Politicians, CEOs and Executives?
Ups... I forgot... it's a Politician who signs them!
Julian Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 12:02
It is all too easy to chuck mud and quite another to substantiate it. If you have any suspicions go to the Police. Unlike the sad past the Police force is INDEPENDENT of the government. A bit difficult for Labour supporters to understand I know but it is a fact! It is about time we had more maturity in the arguments on these boards. We can but hope!
R. Saliba
Dec 17th 2012, 12:32
What do the politicians sign? The tapping orders? Are you for real?
Eddy Privitera
Dec 17th 2012, 13:18
Julian: We would have believed Gonzi if he had introduced the Whistleblower Act ! Instead he made sure that this Act never sees the light of day and be retroactive ! this is one reason Lawrence Gonzi & Friends are so scared of the election - the Whistleblower Actwould be among the first Bills to be introduced by a PL government !
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Dec 17th 2012, 14:50
@ Eddy Privitera.
The whistle Blower one of the first bills.
The car registration one of the first refunds
The W&E one of the first to be reduced according to Muscat. Three years later according to KV, and elec. only according to Anglu. Who is correct?
Muscat will be working 24 hours a day 7 days a week to deliver but only if he is elected Prime Minister which I doubt very much. s..w..i..n..g
carmel parnis
Dec 17th 2012, 18:11
Mr Privitera h ow many times did the MLP promised the OMBUDSMAN in his electoral programmes ? Did he keep his promise ? In any case i know its not to mR Privitera's liking so i wont get a reply
Joseph Borg
Dec 17th 2012, 11:47
Mhux ta b'xejn certi nies anzi li jkunu b'xi ras kbira dejjem jghidu li l-hajja ma gholitx , jekk dejjem jieklu b'xejn.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 17th 2012, 12:07
Inrid inkun naf jekk min gholla t-tariffi tad-dawl u ilma jhallasx kontijiet.
Fuq xarabank gie muri kont ZERO imma qalluniex jekk kienx ta' xi membru parlamentari jew membru tal-kabinett, ghaliex ghandi dubju jekk ta' dawn jigiex zero kull xahrejn.
B. Storace
Dec 17th 2012, 11:36
Unfortunately, reading all this only leaves one with the impression that our judiciary and the system need an overhaul. Are we to expect more surprises in the near future?
Victor Vella
Dec 17th 2012, 11:31
Qisek qed taqra xi ktieb tal-Cosa Nostra.
Ruth Seychell
Dec 17th 2012, 11:31
it all starts from a free meal
Mr Tony Gatt
Dec 17th 2012, 12:02
As I said elsewhere, the Amercians say "There is no such thing as a free lunch"
M Vella
Dec 17th 2012, 12:45
Prosit Ruth,you are sooooo right.
Evarist Saliba
Dec 17th 2012, 12:51
As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free meal, especially if the recipient can afford to pay for it.
g agius
Dec 17th 2012, 11:01
No surprises here and doubt about the court being a lucrative money making institution!
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