The justice minister has expressed “grave concern” over “alleged manipulation of the media” after a lawyer offered hundreds of euro in cash to a Times of Malta journalist.
Edward Zammit Lewis also welcomed investigations by the police and the Chamber of Advocates into the behaviour of lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran, who tried to hand over a set of €500 notes to journalist Ivan Martin.
The lawyer is on the defence team of businessman Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of conspiring to murder journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in a car bomb in October 2017.
In a statement to Times of Malta, Zammit Lewis said anyone who respects the right to media freedom should be concerned by the case.
“It is already in the public domain that investigations on the reported case have been called for by the police and other competent institutions and bodies in order to establish the facts,” he said.
“As Minister for Justice, Equality and Governance, I welcome such steps which are catered for in our legislation and the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Advocates.”
He said that the government and the current administration had made significant changes to the legislation and institutions to ensure that he justice system is effective and fair.
“This is why the alleged manipulation of the media, particularly in matters related to criminal justice is always a matter of grave concern for me and for anyone who respects the right to a free and independent media,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, police confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and lawyers for the Caruana Galizia family have also filed a court application demanding a police and magisterial probe.
They said that they were shocked by the revelation and that the attempted payment amounts to bribery under the Criminal Code.
Caruana Curran has admitted “remuneration was offered” but he and fellow defence lawyer Charles Mercieca have made a series of claims including that the well-known journalist was “posing as an investigator”.
Martin has described how, at the end of a 20-minute meeting in Valletta on Monday with both lawyers, Caruana Curran handed him between two and four 500 euro notes, which he immediately rejected and informed his editors.