Mark Camilleri fined €1,000 for publishing Yorgen Fenech chats
Maltese Herald owner had breached a court order banning publication
Author and media owner Mark Camilleri has been fined €1,000 for publishing WhatsApp messages between murder suspect Yorgen Fenech and Malta Today owner Saviour Balzan.
The former Book Council CEO pubished the chats last year in breach of a court order.
On Thursday morning, police inspector Eman Hayman, who is now at the cybercrime unit, was assigned to trace Camilleri after allegedly publishing documents from the records of the criminal case against Fenech.
Fenech is awaiting trial, accused of commissioning the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
In court, the inspector said he used his resources and assessed the possibility of issuing a European Arrest Warrant to bring Camilleri to Malta.
“However, I could not proceed since the alleged offence is contempt of court and it is not punishable by an effective jail term,” the witness said.
Asked by the Criminal Court if he had established whether the documents were the same as in the records of the case, Hayman said he "had been given that confirmation". He added that had he managed to get to Camilleri, he would have interrogated him.
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Charles Mercieca asked the witness whether he was aware that Camilleri frequently comes to Malta, to which Hayman replied that he was not aware.
The Criminal Court found Camilleri guilty of contempt of court and fined him €1,000.
Camilleri was previously charged with contempt of court over the publication of WhatsApp chats betwen Fenech and former junior minister Rosianne Cutajar.
Madam Justice Edwina Grima presided. AG lawyers Anthony Vella, Godwin Cini and Danika Vella prosecuted. Lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared for the accused. Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia appeared for the victim’s family.