Bail for one of the accused denied, conditions eased for another

The Criminal Court has denied Joseph Zammit bail but granted the easing of the conditions in the case of Anthony Grech Sant, allowing him to leave his house for a few hours every day.

Joseph Zammit's application was denied mostly because of his criminal record and the fear that he would tamper with evidence.

Zammit, known as is-Sei, is charged, with Grech Sant and another two men, with aiding and abetting the bribery of two judges .

Zammit, 57, Grech Sant, 55, Mario Camilleri and his son Pierre, 40 and 20, are also charged with trading in influence and conspiring to commit a crime.

Zammit is also charged with defrauding Mario Camilleri and/or other people out of some Lm5,000 and a second count of trading in influence. Both are also charged with relapsing.

Chief Justice Vincent DeGaetano yesterday ruled that the Magistrates' Court had followed the law in denying Zammit bail after hearing his claim that a denial in the context of the granting of bail to another two co-defendants was discriminatory.

The chief justice yesterday noted that the Magistrates' Court had taken the defendant's criminal record into consideration and ruled that the law obliged the court to distinguish between one defendant and another.

In Grech Sant's case, the chief justice partly acceded to the request for the removal of the bail condition that he does not leave his house unless by court order.

The ruling, given in camera, stipulates a curfew, but was not made available to the press. Sources said, however, that Grech Sant has now been granted permission to leave the house for a few hours every day.

Meanwhile downstairs before Magistrate Micallef Trigona, the telephone conversations exhibited by the prosecution were played in open court for a good three hours.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona is hearing the case against former chief justice Noel Arrigo, 52, of Siggiewi and Judge Patrick Vella, 58, of San Pawl tat-Targa.

They are pleading not guilty to two counts of bribery and one of revealing official secrets in relation to a sentence handed down by the Court of Criminal Appeal against Mario Camilleri on July 5.

The charges are aggravated by the fact that they were public officers duty bound to prevent crime.

The case continues.

Deputy Commissioner Joseph Cachia and Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar are prosecuting.

Dr Joseph Giglio and Dr George Abela are representing Judge Arrigo while Dr Toni Abela, Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr George Cutajar are representing Judge Vella.

In the other cases, Dr Chris Cardona and Dr Chris Soler were counsel to Zammit and Dr Joseph Brincat to Grech Sant.