A court has upheld the request for a provisional warrant of prohibitory injunction made by a lance bombardier, who was denied a promised training course after placing first in a selection process for the post of assistant trumpet major.

The warrant application had been filed on behalf of Brendan Borg, a member of the Armed Forces of Malta for the last nine years and a regular player in the army band.

The applicant had placed first for the coveted post of assistant trumpet major after undergoing a medical fitness test, a written exam and a band control test, thereby qualifying for the overseas course which was to be held at the Army School of Ceremonial Drums and Bugle Wing ITC Catterick at Vimy Barracks, England.

The successful candidate was to travel to England on June 25 for a training experience which was to last a fortnight, all expenses paid, courtesy of the AFM.

With copies of the electronic flight bookings and relative bank transfer in hand, Mr Borg was all set and ready to go when an unexpected phone call, one week before date of departure, brought his plans to an abrupt halt.

He received orders not to travel abroad and no explanation was forthcoming other than that his superior, namely the AFM Commander, had decided that Mr Borg was not to attend the UK course.

Following two formal complaints filed in line with army protocol, a meeting with his superiors was scheduled for October 9.

However, meanwhile, another call for an identical post within the army band, was issued.

Faced with this scenario, the officer filed a judicial protest as well as an application for a warrant of prohibitory injunction seeking to obtain the suspension of the second selection process which, if allowed to go ahead, would result in damages for the applicant.

The First Hall, Civil Court, presided over by Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri, provisionally upheld the injunction and appointed the case for hearing in October.

The application was signed by lawyer Michael Tanti-Dougall.