Justice Ministry steps in after €6,000 goes missing from Gozo court
Ministry orders review of exhibit handling procedures after magisterial inquiry opens
Updated 8.25pm
The Justice Ministry has appointed an administrative board to review exhibit handling procedures in the Gozo Court following the disappearance of €6,000 that was supposed to be returned to an acquitted woman, prompting a magisterial inquiry.
Police had confiscated the money from 39-year-old Francine Cini in 2021, along with her ID card and passport, while she faced criminal charges. The cash was placed in court.
Cini was acquitted on July 31 this year, and two months later, a court ordered her documents and money to be returned.
“I went to get my things, and while I was given back my ID and passport, the money was not there,” Cini told Times of Malta.
Since then, she said she has been in contact with several people in the Gozo court, both directly and through her lawyer.
Two months later, the Court Services Agency in Gozo has still not located the €6,000.
Following several complaints, a magisterial inquiry into the matter has been launched, led by Magistrate Donatella Frendo.
On Saturday evening, the Justice Ministry announced it had appointed an administrative board to carry out a comprehensive review of procedures concerning the custody of items presented as exhibits in legal proceedings at the Gozo court.
The board will be given a specific timeframe to present a detailed report, including recommendations on how to strengthen procedures for securely and reliably holding exhibits, ensuring an efficient and fair administration of justice in Gozo, the ministry said.
It reiterated its commitment to “enhancing investment and continuing to reform justice systems and procedures, so that they are effective, transparent, and up to date, including in the Gozo courts.”