The court yesterday reversed a decision made earlier this week finding Acting Police Commissioner Raymond Zammit in contempt of court.
After examining an application filed by Mr Zammit following the court decision, Magistrate Francesco Depasquale accepted Mr Zammit’s undertaking that he would do his utmost to resolve the problem encountered in this case and revoked the decision to fine him €300.
During the continuation of a libel case filed by the former Permanent Representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, against the former editor of Labour’s newspaper Kullħadd, Felix Agius, Magistrate Depasquale on Wednesday declared Mr Zammit in contempt of court after failing to notify Mr Agius about the sitting and forcing the court to postpone final judgement.
The magistrate accused Mr Zammit of attempting to tamper with the justice system, and accusation he immediately denied.
In his application, Mr Zammit said he had not even been personally aware of the case, which was being handled by one of his officers. Neither had he been personally informed about any communication with regard to the case in question.
Thus, Mr Zammit said, he was very disappointed with the court’s comments, which had been unfairly attributed directly to him when he was not involved in the case.
The court said it expected to be in a position to continue with the case, filed 13 years ago, at the next sitting.