Appreciation: Karl Muscat, LL.D.
At work, he was normally the first in and the last out
On the third anniversary of his death, we invite readers to celebrate the blessed memory of our friend, former colleague and brother Karl Muscat.
Karl was called to the bar in his mid-30s and soon thereafter joined the Office of the Attorney General as a prosecutor of financial crimes. There he proved to be zealous, brave and industrious to a fault.
His perennial youthfulness, can-do attitude and, above all, his sense of responsibility toward the republic were infectious, inspiring a generation of colleagues. Though no longer with us, Karl lives on at the office through displays of tenacity, fearlessness and courage to go against the grain.
Karl was one of the first financial crime prosecutors in a new Attorney General’s Office dedicated tirelessly to helping with Malta’s removal from the FATF “grey list”.
At work, he was normally the first in and the last out. When industrial action was called at the office, he went to the court sittings to cover for his absent colleagues.
His death is made all the more regrettable in light of the fact that many of his efforts have gone unrecognised.
But Karl was much more than just an advocate. He was a man who loved his family, his native Rabat and his country well before he took on the role of prosecutor. He was and still is loved and respected by many, as evidenced by the throngs of people at his funeral.
People who knew Karl and knew him well had no option but to adore him. The desire gets stronger and stronger with each passing year to see that this man’s name may never be forgotten.
This is no attempt to glorify the man, nor turn him into something he was not – Karl had his own faults – but let it be known that in his short 43 years on this earth, he left a great and beautiful mark on his country and those in it.
And that is more than what most can say.
Rest in peace, dear Karl.