The government has not yet presented formal notice of a motion for impeachment against Magistrate Carol Peralta.

Magistrate Peralta was heavily criticised after he organised a Christmas party in his court room and then ordered the arrest of a Times of Malta journalist who tried to cover the story.

Amid words of condemnation, the government asked the Commission for the Administration of Justice to investigate the case and “take the necessary measures”.

In the past, whenever the government wanted the commission to take action against a member of the judiciary, an impeachment motion has always been presented in Parliament.

When contacted, Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici did not say why the government has not yet started formal impeachment proceedings, but stressed it was taking the Peralta incident “extremely seriously” and was expecting the commission to conclude its investigation “expeditiously”.

More on the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium

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