Over 10,000 people signed a petition in the past four days calling for a public inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia.

The petition was launched by the victim's mother Isabelle Bonnici last Friday through change.org . More than 2,700 signed it on Monday alone.

Bonnici is pressing the government to appoint a public inquiry "that will look into systemic and administrative failures that led to Jean Paul's death and that most importantly will lead to changes in the system that will prevent this from happening again".

Jean Paul Sofia, 20, was killed when a building that was under construction in Corradino collapsed last December. Five other workers were rescued but Sofia was found dead under the rubble after a 14-hour search.

His mother has been calling for a public inquiry almost since then, and the Nationalist Party is supporting her plea.

Last Thursday, parliament debated an Opposition motion for the appointment of the inquiry. Government MPs spoke against.  

Bonnici has bravely stood outside parliament multiple times to urge Labour MPs to vote against the party line and in favour of a public inquiry. PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier.

During Thursday's debate, the government moved an amendment to remove references to a public inquiry in the motion and instead to call for the magisterial inquiry being conducted by Magistrate Marsanne Farrugia to be concluded as quickly as possible.  

A vote is due on Wednesday.   

Times of Malta is informed that the magisterial inquiry is nearing conclusion. Isabelle Bonnici has said that while she hopes that the magisterial inquiry will help bring whoever was responsible for the building collapse to justice,  investigations must go beyond the incident for the whole truth and justice to prevail.

The magisterial inquiry will look into why the building collapsed, but a public inquiry is needed to look into the processes and political decisions that led the government to grant public land to developers who erected a building that collapsed “like a deck of cards”, she told Times of Malta in an interview last month.

Bonnici has said she suspects unethical political decisions could have possibly led the land to be given to irresponsible developers, and she wants politicians to be investigated as well.

Sofia's friends stuck a banner calling for justice in Valletta, just opposite parliament. PHOTO: Chris Sant Fournier.

Times of Malta revealed in December how the government land on which the private factory was being built is leased to an alleged human trafficker, Kurt Buhagiar.

His business partner, Matthew Schembri, has faced accusations of criminal wrongdoing in connection with two “hitmen” allegedly hired to assault his ex-wife’s father-in-law.