Vitals magisterial inquiry concluded, passed on to AG
The Vitals inquiry concluded on Thursday 24 April and sent to the attorney general’s office on 25 April, court registrar Franklin Calleja told a court on Tuesday.Calleja was testifying before Magistrate Giovanni Grixti who is hearing a case bro
The Vitals inquiry concluded on Thursday 24 April and sent to the attorney general’s office on 25 April, court registrar Franklin Calleja told a court on Tuesday.
Calleja was testifying before Magistrate Giovanni Grixti who is hearing a case brought by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Asked by Muscat’s lawyer Vince Galea to explain the mechanics of the process, the registrar said the proces verbal, after being exhibited in the registry, is sent together with all exhibits to the AG. Calleja said 78 boxes of evidence had been sent together with the inquiry.
The Attorney General must now assess the magisterial inquiry and decide whether to file criminal charges against anyone involved. Muscat could be one of those who could be indicted.
Today's hearing is to deal with Muscat's request to take Magistrate Gabriella Vella off the inquiry into the Vitals case.
But after the testimony regarding the conclusion of the inquiry, Muscat's lawyers requested a copy of the report drawn up by the magistrate,
They are arguing that AG has a document that is of great interest and relevance to Muscat who, they say, has a right to see it before arguing his case.
But the State Advocate rebuts that to get what he wants, Muscat wants the court to order the AG to break the law. Muscat must file his request once the paperwork is deposited in the court registry, as per law.
The Vitals inquiry was launched after three hospitals were passed on to the private sector by the Joseph Muscat government in 2015. The deal was rescinded by the courts last year.
The magisterial inquiry was initiated at the request of NGO Repubblika in 2019.
It initially revolved around former Health Minister Konrad Mizzi and former Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, but was leter widened to include also Muscat.
Muscat has been seeking to exclude Vella from continuing the magisterial inquiry for the past year.
In March he dropped an initial case to file another one, which is now before Mr Justice Grixti.
Over the past days Prime Minister Robert Abela denounced what he described as political terrorism, which has largely been seen as a reference to the inquiry conclusion close to the European Parliament and local council elections.
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