Retired magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, who passed away on Sunday evening, will be remembered for his loyalty to the justice system which he served for over two decades, according to his friends and colleagues.
“We’re going to miss him greatly. He was a person who had a sound criminal law background and, in these three weeks since we took the oath of office [to members of the Permanent Commission against Corruption] he had shown a lot of enthusiasm so that we could read and analyse documents and come to a decision,” said his colleague Judge Lawrence Quintano.
Last month, Dr Apap Bologna and Judge Quintano, who is also retired, were appointed members of the commission together with lawyer Yana Micallef Stafrace for a five-year term.
He always applied the law with a sense of humanity
“We never expected this because he was with us last Thursday and we were to meet [yesterday] at midday. At 3am I was e-mailing him not to forget certain documents. It was only later that I realised he had passed away,” Judge Quintano said.
Dr Apap Bologna died, aged 66, at his Mosta home on Sunday at about 9pm. Sources said it was through natural causes.
Yesterday, the government and the Nationalist Party issued statements in which they expressed their condolences towards his family.
The government praised the magistrate for having been fair, honest and an expert in law. “He always applied the law with a sense of humanity and believed in forgiveness and rehabilitation without diminishing the values of public order and victim protection,” the government said.
The PN said the former magistrate will also be remembered for his loyalty to the country and the respect he enjoyed.
An avid Manchester United fan, Dr Apap Bologna was born on February 4, 1948 and educated at St Aloysius College, Birkirkara, between 1956 and 1962. He graduated as a lawyer in 1971 after obtaining a diploma as notary public in 1970 at the Royal University of Malta.
He was appointed magistrate in December 1988 and retired from the bench in 2013. He also chaired the mental health review tribunal.
He was married to Mariella, née Stilon, and had two children, Louisa and Paul.