It is axiomatic, practitioners of the dark art of advocacy will tell you, that when the presence of a minister is required for testimony, it is ever so likely that Affairs of State will be found so impelling that precedence would have to be given to attending to them rather than on the pleasure of the court.

It is surprising (not) therefore that on 26th September no less than 10 ministers or quasi-ministers found the time in their busy schedules to trot along to the Palace of Justice down Republic Street way and exercise their rights as ordinary citizens to be part of the audience in the Court of Appeal.  

Cognoscenti of the free entertainment offered to the Great Unwashed by the sittings held daily in Court will tell you that generally speaking, proceedings in the Court of Appeal hold little, erm, appeal, as compared say to a trial by jury, where you get the fun and games and the cut and thrust of forensic battle.  

In the Court of Appeal, the august Justices of Appeal are addressed by respectful lawyers on abstruse points of law and the potential for amusement is rather limited.

Given this, it is clear why Messrs Galdes, Dalli, Zammit Lewis, Bonnici and the other components of the motley crew saw fit to carve out an hour or two from the time for which we pay them to sit instead on the uncomfortable benches and listen to boring, and probably to most of them incomprehensible, legal arguments.  

Just in case you haven’t twigged it, it’s the same forma mentis that, back in the Eighties, had led to a merry throng of thugs trooping in to Court to listen to Dr KMB intone the immortal words “Jew b’Xejn jew Xejn” (Free or not at all) as part of his crusade against church and private schools.

In other words, they were there to let Their Honours know that a goodly chunk of the Cabinet was “interested” in the case, and they’d better get things right.  

This is disturbing.   

It is disturbing, principally, because members of the Executive, sworn to uphold the Constitution, seem to think that they can impose themselves on another pillar of the structure of the Rule of Law, the Judiciary.  

It is disturbing, principally, because members of the Executive, sworn to uphold the Constitution, seem to think that they can impose themselves on another pillar of the structure of the Rule of Law, the Judiciary.


Let’s not pussyfoot around this: not one of the ministers and quasi-ministers present have any direct interest in the case, their personal seats were not up for grabs, and they’re not law students seeking to drink at the fount of knowledge. 

Their motive in being there could only have been ulterior, and smarmy wise-cracks about lawyers rallying to “support” Jason Azzopardi being the equivalent of what this bunch were doing simply demonstrate the sheer disregard these people have for the way things should properly be done.

It is disturbing, secondarily, because these people seem to think that their presence is enough to intimidate a Judge.  

Precisely who do they think they are, that their mere being in a room would make grown men tremble?  I know, because I read what they write (or in some cases, have written for them) that arrogance and smugness has permeated to the very roots of most of their beings, but seriously, guys, do you think that being in a court room is such a fantastic persuader?

Nah, not much, in their hearts, the judges would have been looking on you with what should properly be described as contempt, though they are too well-mannered to show it.

It is disturbing, thirdly, because by his presence Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, has shown that he is simply not fit for purpose and that his colleagues are (almost) equally not up to it, because he, and they, simply don’t get the inappropriateness of his presence there.  

We’re back to government by intimidation and bullying, except the people who are doing it prefer suits and ties and smug smiles to the more honest thumping of iron bars on the sides of trucks.

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