A top criminal lawyer yesterday accused the government of passing laws to benefit the prosecution after an alleged accomplice in a double murder case was granted a “pardon” to testify against the main suspects.

Alfredo Attard’s release from prosecution under witness protection was made possible after amendments to the Criminal Code came into force in March.

But Joe Giglio, defence lawyer of one suspect, claimed it was pushed through underhandedly and specifically to make sure the prosecution secured his testimony.

Mr Attard was meant to have been charged with complicity in the murders of Mario Camilleri, also known as l-Imnieħru, and his 21-year-old son Mario.

The law as it stood before would not have permitted him, as an alleged accomplice, to testify against his co-accused until the case against him was decided.

The law now allows accomplices to enrol in a police witness protection programme in exchange for evidence given at any stage of the criminal proceedings, raising the chance of securing a conviction.

The amendment was one of a series of changes to the Criminal Code on proposals made by the Justice Reform Commission aimed at making the justice system more efficient.

‘Changes made by normal process’

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici refuted the claim that the amendments were underhand, saying they were carried out according to normal procedure and were duly publicised.

“Not only were they publicised during the debates in the House but they were also the subject of a press conference held after the vote in Parliament,” he said.

Dr Giglio, representing Jason Galea of Birżebbuġa, one of the accused, complained the prosecution had spent 13 months arguing, medical certificates in hand, that Mr Attard could not testify as he was terminally ill.

In the meantime, the prosecution was objecting to bail on the basis that Mr Attard still had to testify. This was not right, he said.

Suddenly, after Parliament passed a legal provision through which he could be granted a pardon in exchange for his testimony, he showed up, ready to testify, Dr Giglio said.

Mario Camilleri, known as l-Imnieħru, and his son Mario Jr were killed last year.

The victims in the double murder case were killed minutes apart, with Mr Camilleri Sr having been shot dead in Marsaxlokk while his son was stabbed 34 times shortly afterwards.

They were buried in a shallow grave in Mr Attard’s field in Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa.

Mr Attard has told the police he was offered €5,000 by the victim’s brother-in-law and uncle, Jason Galea, to dispose of the body.

Mr Galea stands accused of murder alongside another man, George Galea, 41, from St Julian’s. Both are pleading not guilty.

There were fireworks in court yesterday when Police Inspector Chris Pullicino said Mr Attard, who was in court, had been placed in a “witness protection programme” and later clarified that he had benefited from an amendment that allowed him to testify freely without the fear of prosecution.

At that point, Dr Giglio said that Mr Attard had effectively been pardoned, which led his client Jason Galea to echo the statement from the dock. Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona warned him not to speak and threatened to have him thrown out.

Mr Galea retorted that he could not be thrown out as he was the accused. At this point the magistrate had him escorted out of the hall, with Mr Galea yelling and calling the inspector a liar and clown.

Inspector Pullicino later asked the magistrate to take action against Mr Galea for the disparaging remarks. Dr Giglio told the inspector to keep everything in perspective as Mr Galea’s house had been targeted in the morning and had paint thrown across the facade.

Dr Giglio complained that what happened in court yesterday reflected “the state in which the new administration was running the country, where laws were created to accommodate the police and Attorney General”.

Lawyer Shazoo Ghaznavi and Giannella de Marco appeared for George Galea.

The case continues next Wednesday.