Judge Raymond Pace was granted bail this morning as a court started hearing the compilation of evidence against him.

He had been under arrest since Wednesday and was charged on Thursday with bribery and trading in influence.

The court ordered all his assets to be frozen. The judge was also ordered to pay a deposit of €5,000 and submit to a personal guarantee of €20,000. He will also need to sign in at Birkirkara police station twice a week.

Two other persons, Raymond Caruana and Sandro Psaila, have been arraigned and accused of attempting to bribe Judge Pace. They were granted bail yesterday.

Judge Pace resigned from the Bench on Saturday. He was present in the court room today along with his three children.

The prosecution is alleging that a drug gang tried to bribe  Judge Pace into using his influence on another judge to raise the prison term of Darren Desira, a member of a rival gang. He was jailed for 18 years.

During this morning's proceedings,  Godfrey Scicluna, the head of security service, presented a copy of intercepts made through phone tapping on various numbers pertaining to Sandro Psaila and Raymond Caruana.

Paul Galea,  a chef  at The Steak House Restaurant in Bugibba, co-owned by Sandro Psaila said that Dr Pace was the judge in a case involving his father. He used to go to the restaurant and once he offered him a drink after he watched a film at a nearby cinema. On the second time that happened, he introduced him to Sandro Psaila.

He recalled that one evening Psaila began moaning because Dr Pace did not want to pay. Psaila had paid twice for Dr Pace.

At this point, a phone call was played in court. The witness said that Psaila was annoyed how the judge would go to the restaurant and expect not to pay. 

Taking the witness stand, Darren Scicluna said he installed CCTV cameras on the judge's properties. He was employed by Mr Caruana and told that he needed some work done. He didn't tell him who it was for. They met in a garage in Sta Venera and installed the equipment there and then went to the house and installed more equipment. The total bill was €1,300.

Mechanic Joseph Borg, said that Mr Caruana was a client of his. Some three weeks ago Mr Caruana took a car to him for repairs. The car belonged to the judge's wife.

The repair work cost €1,300 and Mr Caruana was to pay him. 

Taking the witness stand, Clinton Grima, a car dealer confirmed that he had sold a car to Lynn Pace and she paid him some 10,000 euro, and the balance had to be paid by  Anthony Camilleri.

Taking the witness stand, Inspector Norbert Ciappara repeated evidence he gave yesterday. He said that on December 11, I was informed that we was to take part in an investigation involving bribery of a judge. The case involved Mr Psaila and attempts by the judge to influence another judge to raise a prison term in a drug case.

The police interviewed Raymond Caruana who admitted that  Darren Desira owed him €100,000 and they used their influence on Judge Pace to try and bring about an increase in Desira's jail time.

Taking the witness stand, Supt Vassallo, said he confirmed what was said by Mr Ciappara.

Bail was granted despite opposition from the police and the Attorney General's Office.

 

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