An independent inquiry will be held into a government agency’s handling of the case of two abducted German children, the government announced yesterday evening, a few hours after a call was made by the Opposition.

Retired judge Philip Sciberras has been appointed to conduct the inquiry following the declarations made by the court over the case, the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity said.

Magistrate Joanne Vella Cuschieri on Wednesday harshly criticised Aġenzija Appoġġ, saying it was “less able” to take care of the children than the mothers.

The case concerns three German children who were placed under an “emergency temporary order” with Appoġġ after one of them was found roaming around in a Marsalforn field on his own.

Their mothers, Sabrina Albrecht and Jutta Wiedekind, asked a court to order their return.

Subsequently Ms Albrecht’s two boys, Jeremias and Jayden, were taken abroad by German social workers after Appoġġ were told they were going to be at the beach.

Earlier yesterday, contacted for a reaction by this newspaper, Appoġġ chief executive Alfred Grixti said he had received legal advice not to comment at this stage.

The case instituted by the mother of the two boys, Sabrina Albrecht, was expected to continue today and he was advised not to comment so as not to prejudice the proceedings in any way.

Before the inquiry was announced, the Nationalist Party had called on the Prime Minister to order one. It said that what had happened could be the result of Joseph Muscat’s political appointments.

“Appoġġ has never been placed under such a bad light as today. It was only in the past months that the Foundation for Social Welfare Services was put under the control of a politician, someone without expertise in this matter,” the PN said, in a reference to Mr Grixti.

“The child’s interest should come first in this case, something that evidently did not happen. An independent investigation must take place to establish what happened.”

The German social workers have argued they acted on a decision by a German court on July 4 ordering the children to be returned home. However, the Maltese authorities say the children were abducted as they were under a temporary order imposed by a court here.

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