The Constitutional Court has ordered the release of two vehicles driven by Maximilian Ciantar after finding that the rights of their owners were violated when they were confiscated.
The vehicles are a Peugeot Partner registered to Emanuel Ciantar on behalf of Maxkim Ltd, and a Toyota Vitz personally owned by Emanuel Ciantar.
Maximilian Ciantar, Emanuel Cinatar's son, had been driving the Peugeot Partner when he hit twin girls in Attard in 2011. He was subsequently arraigned and convicted of causing the accident and of driving without a licence and insurance. He was imprisoned and banned from driving. The court had also ordered confiscation of the vehicle.
In January 2012 Maximilian Ciantar was convicted of having violated the driving ban when he was found driving the Toyota Vitz in Hamrun. In that case, the vehicle was seized by the police until all court proceedings were completed. The car was subsequently confiscated
The Court found that there had been a violation of the first protocol of the European Human Rights Convention on the right to property since the owners were not given sufficient opportunity to contest the confiscation of the vehicles.
The court also ordered compensation of €300 to the company and Emanuel Ciantar.