A magistrate today ordered a nationwide search for a couple currently wanted to face criminal proceedings.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud, presiding over the Valletta district sitting, ordered the police to conduct the search for the couple, who have not been served with a notice of summons since February 2016.

Carmel and Josephine Dimech, aged 58 and 55 respectively, from Żebbuġ, are to face charges over an incident at a lawyer's office in Valletta in October 2015 when they allegedly threatened and insulted St Paul's Bay mayor Graziella Galea and acting secretary Paul Gatt.

When the case was called this morning, Inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee informed the court that the police were still unable to trace the couple. They had visited their home, that of their son and their place of work but to no avail.

Expressing annoyance over the fact that the case had already been put off nine times since February 2016 over the lack of notification, Magistrate Mifsud stressed the court would not tolerate any intimidation in respect of public officers serving the nation, nor would it allow “serious shortcomings on the part of the police corps".

The court ordered a nationwide search to begin at once to make sure that the couple were duly notified to appear before the court. Unless these orders were executed, the court itself would take action against the Police Commissioner and officials tasked with the service of judicial acts, he said.

Lawyer Sara Pirotta Chircop Beck is appearing parte civile for the victims.