A man who earlier this morning was condemned to an effective jail term of two months was released hours later when another court reversed the decisio.

Carmelo Zammit, who is facing criminal proceedings for fraud, was declared to have acted in contempt of court when he ignored a freezing order upon his assets and transferred two vehicles to third parties.

A magistrate's court deemed this to amount to contempt of court and sent the accused to prison for two months.  

The man's lawyers filed an application claiming unlawful detention. The court, presided by duty magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, heard that the arrest was illegal since it had been based on a wrong application of the law. Defying a freezing order was punishable under an article of law different to that applied in respect of the accused.

The court declared that the arrest =illegal and granted the accused his freedom. 

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Josette Sultana were defence counsel.