10 years ago - The Times

Friday, October 10, 2008

Police probe bribery attempt allegations

The police are investigating the claims of   lawyers, a priest and the family of the Nadur men accused of raping a 14-year-old girl tried to prevent her from taking the matter to court.

All the police would say in reply to a list of questions about the matter was that investigations were under way. This is the first official confirmation of the investigations since the bribery allegations were first made by The Sunday Times two weeks ago.

The weekly newspaper reported the mother of the girl saying  a lawyer and close relatives of the accused had persuaded her to sign a contract stating the members of her family would not testify in court in return for €7,000 in “psychological support.”

The defendants, brothers Peter Paul and Josef Said, stand accused of raping the girl. Mark Lorry Said and Peter Paul Debono were charged with her defilement ,they are all under house arrest.

The girl’s mother said they were approached by close relatives of the Said brothers and a priest, who acted as an intermediary, shortly after the rape and defilement allegations were made.

On the day the men were arrested, the girl’s mother said another approach was made by two lawyers who said they wanted to “see if they could come to an arrangement.”

25 years ago - The Sunday Times

Sunday, October 10, 1993

Tombs desecrated at Ta’ Braxia

The police are investigating the desecration of a tomb at Ta’ Braxia cemetery, in Pietà, on Friday night.

Police sources said the cemetery’s caretaker yesterday morning reported finding an open tomb at the cemetery. He initially thought the tomb had been vandalised, but investigating further he noticed the coffin, which had lay in the tomb for around 20 years, had also been broken and the human remains inside had been disturbed.

Satanism is being excluded because no bones, not even the skull, was taken. The caretaker told the police he had observed a Briton going to the cemetery for hours on end for the last three weeks.

MAM calls for inquiry into case against doctors

The medical association of Malta yesterday called for a government inquiry into the case involving three doctors who were accused of the ‘involuntary homicide’ of a Korean sailor.

Dr Joe Pace, president of MAM made the call after it was revealed that an inquiry has said that there was no evidence against the doctors.  

Half a century ago - Times of Malta

Thursday, October 10, 1968

Prank costs soldiers £1 each

Four soldiers of the Royal Signals were yesterday arraigned before Magistrate Dr J Formosa and were fined £1 each,  after they were found guilty of having ‘disfigured’ the Triton Fountain outside Kingsgate by having put three brassieres on the tritons.

The four soldiers – Corporal Hugh Lovejoy, Lance Corporals John Bell RAF, Glen Ely and Stephen Tlong – were charged with having on August 26 at about 3.45am disfigured or damaged the Triton Fountain, a public monument and with having undressed in public or else with having been indecently dressed.

It resulted from the evidence that on the night two of the soldiers arrived with their car together with two girls. The other two arrived on a motorcycle. They decided to take a dip in the fountain. Later, by way of a joke, they tried to dress the tritons with the brassieres of the girls who were with them.

At that moment, the police arrived and the soldiers and their girls escaped leaving the brassieres hanging from the triton’s gigantic shoulders.

The police took down the numbers of the car and the motorcycle and removed the brassieres off the tritons.

The accused were not found guilty of the second charge of being indecently dressed.

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