Updated 3.55pm
The prime minister has scheduled a meeting with the family of murder victim Nicolette Ghirxi, the government said on Monday afternoon, hours after Times of Malta revealed that a meeting request had been declined.
Ghirxi was murdered in her Swatar apartment on August 11, allegedly by her former boyfriend Edward Johnston, who was later shot dead by the police in St Julian's after a three-hour standoff.
Ghirxi's family has complained of failures by government agencies in the run-up to the murder and has called for an independent public inquiry. Family lawyer Joseph Borda revealed that a request to meet Robert Abela had been turned down.
Speaking to Times of Malta earlier on Monday, Borda said that talks between the government and the family had stalled and were “at breaking point”.
He said that after a brief virtual exchange a few weeks ago, the prime minister directed him to three ministers.
Nicolette’s father Manuel and her three siblings John, Susan and Daren, accompanied by their lawyers, met ministers Michael Falzon, Jonathan Borg and Byron Camilleri on September 2.
During that meeting, the family explained the need for an open and transparent inquiry, while the government hinted it was ready for the terms of reference to be drafted in agreement with the family, Borda said.
“But it turned out that the government wanted to restrict the inquiry to the services offered to Nicolette by the government's Foundation for Social Welfare. The family wanted broader terms of reference,” he continued.
“A few days later, the government’s legal counsel suggested an inquiry led by the justice ministry in conjunction with the social policy ministry. But an inquiry that would be other than all-encompassing would be totally useless,” the lawyer insisted.
Borda said he could understand why, with domestic violence being a top priority matter, the government had proposed compartmentalised internal inquiries behind closed doors.
It is crystal clear that the government’s intention is to sweep the murder and any of the state’s failings under the carpet- Lawyer Joseph Borda
“It is crystal clear that the government’s intention is to sweep the murder and any of the state’s failings under the carpet. The Ghirxi family have now had enough and are determined to uncover the truth,” the lawyer said.
Government says it is committed to giving answers
In reply to questions, the Office of the Prime Minister said: “The government reaffirms its commitment to the victim’s family and its dedication to providing them with the answers they seek.”
It said that while talks with the victim’s family are ongoing, three inquiries were underway regarding this murder: the magisterial inquiry, an internal inquiry by the Ministry for Home Affairs, and another inquiry by the Ministry for Social Policy.
“The government believes that the discussions should remain confidential, not only to avoid prejudicing the ongoing inquiries but also out of respect for the victim and the victim’s family.”
Nicolette Ghirxi had first filed a domestic violence report against Johnston on April 22. The day after her murder, on August 12, police commissioner Angelo Gafà went on record saying that Ghirxi had refused to take a risk assessment.
A few days later, e-mail exchanges surfaced showing Johnston had mocked the police when they summoned him for questioning, telling them he was “topping up” his tan in Dubai.
Family wants to be involved
The Ghirxi family is insisting on an independent inquiry since it believes that the police failed to protect Nicolette by failing to act on the harassment reports, even when she informed them that Johnston had returned to Malta.
On August 19, the OPM announced that the Independent Police Complaints Board had been tasked to review police conduct.
On August 25, Times of Malta published the transcript of a WhatsApp voice note sent by Ghirxi to her friend stating she had been “talked out” of taking a risk assessment as she sat down for her evaluation to begin.
FSWS denied its Aġenzija Appoġġ professionals had discouraged her from taking a risk assessment and published affidavits and the names of the two risk assessors present on the day Ghirxi filed a report.
On August 27, the social policy ministry announced it had set up an inquiry board under the Inquiries Act, led by Judge Lawrence Quintano, to investigate the professional support the victim had received. But the family and her friends kept pushing for an independent inquiry, with a broader remit “to establish the facts leading to Nicolette’s tragic death”.
The family wants to be involved in the drafting of the terms of reference to establish all the circumstances that led to Nicolette’s murder: whether any act or omission by any state entity facilitated her killing or failed to prevent it. The family is also represented by Matthew Xuereb.
'PM ignoring Ghirxi family like he ignored Sofia family': PN
Reacting before the government's statement, the PN said the prime minister was once again ignoring a family going through a difficult time, just as he had done with Isabelle Bonnici after the death of her son Jean Paul Sofia.
"Robert Abela has learned nothing from his past mistakes and is now refusing to meet the family of Nicolette Ghirxi. To him, people are just numbers.
"While once again displaying his utter insensitivity to the suffering endured by the family of a victim who lost her life in a tragic manner, Abela refuses to even appoint a public and independent inquiry in this case, which is the family's wish," the party said in a statement.
PN Leader Bernard Grech has meanwhile met the Ghirxi family.
The PN supports its request for a public and independent inquiry to uncover the whole truth in this case and will offer its full support to the family.
"Nicolette Ghirxi's family has the right to know the reasons and circumstances that led to the failure of our country’s institutions in fulfilling their positive obligation to protect Nicolette Ghirxi's life.
"In contrast, Abela is showing insensitivity and weakness in how he deals with others, just as he did in the case of Jean Paul Sofia, where he told his mother, Isabelle, that she was being used over the death of her son. Even then, he refused to accept the family’s request for a public inquiry until he was backed into a corner and had no choice but to make a U-turn."