Live: Chris Fearne, Edward Scicluna, others re-arraigned in hospitals' case

A second attempt at arraigning former deputy prime minister Chris Fearne, Central Bank Governor and former finance minister Edward Scicluna and 13 others is set to take place this morning, having been delayed by a week after by an application filed by the prosecution, requesting the court rescind a previous decision to declare the arraignment null.

The 15 defendants are all charged with fraud, with Fearne and Scicluna being additionally accused of misappropriation and making fraudulent gain by abuse of their position. Money laundering is amongst the charges facing other defendants. 

Those to be charged alongside Fearne and Scicluna include former permanent secretaries Alfred Camilleri and Joseph Rapa, current permanent secretary Ronald Mizzi, adjudication committee members James Camenzuli, Manuel Castagna, and Robert Borg, financial controller Kenneth Deguara, and five lawyers: Kevin Deguara, Jean Carl Farrugia, Aron Mifsud Bonnici, Deborah Anne Chappell, and Bradley Gatt.

The 15 defendants were originally summoned to be charged in court on 29 May, but at 8pm, some 11 hours into the arraignment, the proceedings were declared null after the lawyers representing one of the defendants - law firm DF Advocates - claimed that the firm had not been validly notified with amended charges.

This claim was challenged by prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General, who filed an application pointing out that the lawyers representing DF Advocates had themselves declared that they were appearing on its behalf at the very beginning of the sitting, at 11am. The prosecutors are arguing that the firm appeared to have decided, at 8pm, that it was no longer  represented and had raised this issue with the court.

Superintendent Hubert Cini and police Inspector Wayne Rodney Borg will be prosecuting, assisted by prosecutors Francesco Refalo, Rebekah Spiteri and Shelby Aquilina from the Office of the Attorney General.