Justice Minister Owen Bonnici confirmed on Wednesday that two law students convicted of theft and handed a conditional discharge would be receiving their warrants to practice law.

Dr Bonnici was replying in Parliament to a question by Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina who noted that the Chamber of Advocates had said that the warrants should not be granted in order not to set a precedent.

The minister said that Yanica Barbara and Thomas Sant had been cleared for the award of a warrant to practice as advocates

He explained that the criterial of “good conduct and good morals,” were examined by two judges before the award of any warrant.

The judges examining Ms Barbara and Mr Sant had found no reason to prevent them from practising law.

In both cases a conditional discharge had been handed down, and, in terms of the law, conditional discharges did not impinge upon eligibility for the award of any licence or warrant. The Association of Judges and Magistrates of Malta had also publicly announced its consent.

Dr Bonnici stated that the two individuals would be handed their warrants at the next ceremony of presentation, after being excluded from a recent ceremony in order to allow “time for reflection.”