Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano testified from the bench this morning when a court continued to hear evidence against two men who stand accused of bribing late Judge Ray Pace.

The accused, Raymond Caruana and Sandro Psaila, are pleading not guilty to bribing the judge to use his influence so that the prison term of Darren Desira, who was convicted of drug trafficking, could be a long one. The man had been sentenced by Mr Justice Quintano.

In his testimony, Mr Justice Quintano said Judge Pace had gone to his Chambers to speak to him. He used his body language to show that he wanted him to leave. 

Judge Pace left after about seven minutes.

Mr Justice Quintano said that he had a lot of complex arguments to consider in the Desira case. The prosecution were after the pound of flesh but the defence had made powerful arguments.

Judge Pace had asked him what case he was considering. He had replied that he was considering the drugs case and told him the amount of drug involved. Judge Pace told him that was a serious case.

Mr Justice Quintano said he had handed down his judgement (last November) and he was fully responsible for it.

Asked how long he had been hearing drug cases, he said he started trial by juries in 2010 and drug cases in 2003.

Replying to another question, he said he did not know if Judge Pace had spoken to him on judges' pensions.

Mr Justice Quintano said that when he was questioned by the police, he was immediately told he was not a suspect.

Asked whether it was unique that judges met each other, he said it was not, but it was rare for any judge to call at the chambers of another one, and they usually met by chance.