All Jason Azzopardi's appeals for Gozo minister probes have been halted

A court has effectively halted the last two appeals lodged by lawyer Jason Azzopardi, who had requested a magisterial inquiry into Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri over a swimming pool and a road project in Nadur, both of which went over budget.

This means all of Azzopardi’s efforts to initiate investigations into the minister have been brought to a halt.

Mr Justice Aaron Bugeja said he was abstaining from taking a decision on both appeals as the magisterial inquiry reform prevented him from ruling.

The controversial reform, which became law last week, includes a provision stating that, when it comes to any ongoing requests for a magisterial inquiry, “the Magistrate or Criminal Court must abstain from continuing to deal with the request for an inquiry."

Under the new law, people can no longer directly ask a magistrate to open an inquiry. Instead, they must first approach the police. If the police do not take action, they can take their case to a judge, who will decide whether an investigation is warranted.

In his court decree, the judge explained that because the case began before the new law was enacted, and a decision was still pending, he must abstain from ruling on it.

The decision was taken for two appeals: one requesting an investigation into Camilleri and Gozo Permanent Secretary John Borg over a swimming pool project that went €17 million over budget; and another seeking an investigation into Camilleri, Borg, and architect Godwin Agius over a Nadur road project that exceeded its budget by €10.5 million.

In the previous sitting, tensions flared when Azzopardi lost his cool and began shouting at Camilleri after the minister chuckled and muttered something under his breath.

This decision comes after Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera also abstained from deciding on another appeal Azzopardi filed to investigate the minister over an alleged “racket” in the allocation of mooring spots at Mġarr harbour.

The outspoken lawyer previously pledged that he would file a constitutional case claiming his fundamental rights had been breached once all his appeals to Camilleri would effectively stop.

Azzopardi had filed all three appeals after Magistrate Brigette Sultana refused to investigate all three cases. In his appeals, Azzopardi claimed that the inquiring magistrate did not write the court decrees and that Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech authored them instead.

When did this start?

This all began in December 2024 when the outspoken lawyer asked a magistrate to investigate Camilleri about the allocation of mooring spots in Mġarr.

Prime Minister Robert Abela said he had ordered Justice Minister Jonathan Attard to begin drafting a reform to the magisterial inquiry system that would stop people from "abusing the system".

Azzopardi subsequently also asked a magistrate to investigate Camilleri over the swimming pool and Nadur road projects.

All his magisterial inquiry requests were dismissed by a magistrate, and Azzopardi appealed.

Meanwhile, the controversial bill was being debated in Parliament and drew sharp criticism from the Opposition and NGOs.

Sources informed Times of Malta that the government was determined to enact this new law before Easter, in time to make Azzopardi’s appeals irrelevant.