Former minister Francis Zammit Dimech has been absolved by a court of any responsibility in connection with the death of a worker while the Seabank Hotel was still under construction.

Dr Zammit Dimech was among three Seabank hotel directors who were accused of negligence leading to the death of 27-year-old Latvian worker, Maksims Artamonovs, on March 6, 2012.

The other directors, Sylvius Debono and Arthur Gauci, were also exonerated by the court, which was presided over by Magistrate Doreen Clarke.

However, it ruled there was enough evidence for the case to continue against Robert Sant, Reuben Gatt, Etienne Bartolo, Pierre Farrugia and Angelus Bartolo

The magistrate noted that the hotel directors had no involvement in technical decisions which led to the collapse of part of the structure that cost the life of the Latvian worker. Issues related to stability and design had been assigned to the contractor, the court added.

At the same time the three directors could not exert any influence on such decisions as these were not within their remit, the magistrate said.

The decision prompted an immediate reaction from the Nationalist Party, who called on the Prime Minister to apologise to Dr Zammit Dimech in the wake of the attacks made against him in recent months.

Just three weeks ago Dr Muscat mentioned the case in parliament when he tried to stop Dr Zammit Dimech from speaking about health and safety in Paceville, the PN said.