Updated July 16

A man has apologised over a Facebook comment he had posted about Eddie Fenech Adami, which landed him in court facing prosecution for hate speech.

Victor Vella was targeted by a writ of summons sparked by the incident that took place on February 7, when the former president and prime minister celebrated his 87th birthday. 

Vella’s post ran along the lines that Fenech Adami would not “pass away any time soon” and because “God did not collect old rubbish.”

That comment had promptly sparked a reaction from Fenech Adami’s son, Beppe, who flagged “such hatefulness” in the hope of putting an end to such negative remarks.

While persons of different political leanings had celebrated the statesman’s birthday, Vella had posted the hateful comment, the Nationalist MP had written the following day. 

Charges were pressed against the author of that social media post who was duly summoned before the magistrates’ court on Tuesday.

Prosecutors should have pressed charges under the criminal code. But they instead did so according to a law that is no longer in place, meaning the man could not be found guilty as the charges were invalid. 

In the presence of the victim’s son, Vella tendered an apology which was accepted by the PN MP who voiced hope that similar hateful incidents are never repeated. 

Vella promised to refrain from uploading such posts in future. 

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech sternly warned the accused to never repeat such hateful comments against anyone on social media, adding that should he fail in his promise, Vella would not expect clemency in court. 

Inspector Christina Delia prosecuted. 

Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Matthew Xuereb were defence counsel.