Court delays continue as forensic lab stays closed

The three forensic experts who worked at the forensic laboratory before it was sealed off by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) almost two weeks ago are being kept in the dark as to what is being done to remedy the situation, sources close to the laboratory said.

Every morning Mario Mifsud, Godwin Sammut and Robert Cardona report to work at the Ministry of Finance (because they fall under the ministry) where they were given a room to work from after the lab was closed for health reasons. But they still do not know when they will resume work at the laboratory.

Meanwhile, in court, cases are being delayed as the experts cannot submit reports.

On September 10, the OHSA carried out an inspection at the laboratory, situated in Lower Merchant's Street, in Valletta, and issued a stop order on work carried out in rooms where exhibits are stored and in the GC-MS laboratory "in view of the serious risks to health".

Since the stop order was issued new court cases have begun and nominations for forensic court experts to test exhibits have been made. The three experts, however, do not have access to the lab. Old exhibits run the risk of deteriorating before being tested and recently exhibited court documents cannot be tested due to the lack of equipment and facilities required, the sources said.

Their assigned room, which is more of an office than a laboratory, does not contain the necessary equipment needed for the testing and storage of the exhibits, the sources said.