The late Ray Pace.

The bribery case against the late judge Ray Pace was declared closed yesterday, seven weeks after he was found dead at home.

Dr Pace’s death certificate was presented yesterday by Police Superintendent Paul Vassallo.

Dr Pace’s lawyers had complained that the court order to freeze his assets could not be lifted until the certificate was officially seen.

The lawyers had made the argument in a sitting held two weeks after his death. Dr Pace had been charged with accepting bribes, conspiring to commit a crime and trading in influence.

The prosecution alleged he attempted to influence a sentence handed down by Mr Justice Quintano in a case involving convicted trafficker Darrin Desira.

Two other men, Raymond Caruana, a 51-year-old truck driver from Żebbuġ, and Sandro Psaila, a 40-year-old restaurateur of Valletta, are charged with bribing the judge in an attempt to ensure that Mr Desira received a long prison term.

Mr Caruana has since been allowed to travel due to the nature of his job while the bail curfew conditions against both men have been relaxed.