Read judge Wenzu Mintoff's bombshell letter against the prime minister

Times of Malta revealed on Tuesday that a sitting judge sent a bombshell letter to the cabinet with a series of allegations against the prime minister.

Judge Lawrence (Wenzu) Mintoff sent the five-page letter to cabinet, asking for Robert Abela to be removed from talks, negotiations and decisions on the appointment of the new Chief Justice, claiming the prime minister is biased against him.

We are reproducing the full letter below:

English translation:

To the Cabinet Secretary

20th February, 2026 

Mr Secretary, 

Under oath, I confirm that:

Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela requested to meet with me on February 11, 2026, stating that we needed to talk. 

I told him that the current situation is very surreal for me, as my name appeared in the Church media, where it was stated that the Opposition has no objection to me and three other people being appointed Chief Justice, yet I do not have his support.

He told me that if he chooses someone from the Newsbook list, he would appear to be bowing to what the Opposition dictates. He said that if he appoints any of those proposed by the Opposition, he would lose the support of his ‘diehards’ and Alex Borg would grow in stature.

I told him that I absolutely disagree with his claim that the important position of Chief Justice remains unresolved due to partisan considerations, rather than being decided on the merits of the individuals and what is best in the country's interest. I also told him he was wrong in his partisan calculations; his diehard supporters would not have a problem with me because my name enjoys the support of the Opposition. 

I told him that to appoint a new Chief Justice, the support of both sides of the House is required, and if an agreement is reached, the merit belongs to both sides, not one or the other. He claimed that partisan considerations enter into these matters even in foreign countries.

I mentioned the appointment of Dr George Abela as President of the Republic, who was proposed by the government of the time and subsequently had the support of the Opposition. Neither side won, but the country did. He replied that it was a mistake for Dr Gonzi to appoint Dr George Abela President.

He told me that the Opposition's plan is to burn through the four names mentioned in Newsbook, including mine, and then propose someone else they have in mind.

He mentioned a name to me, saying he disagrees with that person because the lawyers oppose the name. I told him that if it were true that the Opposition proposed four names just to burn through them, why don’t you call their bluff if, according to him, this was bluff. I repeated several times that I do not agree that partisan pique should enter into such a sensitive matter.

Dr Abela said the current political temperature is hot and not serene, which does not allow for this choice to be made now. He prefers to leave the matter until after the next election, which must be held by March next year at the latest.

I told him this was unacceptable to me and that for people like me, under his proposal, their chance would never come. He then began asking me to give him a chance to think about it, as he had not decided anything and the door was still open. He continued to ask me for I don’t know how many times, to give him a chance until the next election, and the meeting ended there.

When we continued our conversation via WhatsApp that evening, he slammed the same door in my face that he had claimed was open just a few hours prior.

He said he had avoided telling me the true reason I was never his choice to avoid hurting me, he said, citing the age factor and that I do not have enough time left before retirement to leave an impact.

I replied that when Dr Joseph Azzopardi was appointed Chief Justice, he had the same amount of time left until retirement as I do today. Dr Abela’s response was that he did not agree with Dr Azzopardi’s appointment as Chief Justice.

However, the real and proper reason Dr Abela is objecting to me is none of what he said during the February 11, 2026, meeting. It stems from two episodes that occurred while I was performing my duties as a judge, where I had to confront him and was forced to stand up to him on both occasions. 

A few months before Dr Abela was appointed Prime Minister, I was hearing six civil cases for damages filed by 23 victims of the Paqpaqli incident, which occurred on the old Ħal Farruġ runway.

These cases were dropped after an out-of-court settlement was reached regarding compensation that was to be given to the victims of the accident. Dr Robert Abela was the defence lawyer for one of the defendants in these cases.

A few weeks after these cases were dropped, I was informed by a Court employee in my office that Dr Robert Abela was putting great pressure on her and the Court Registry employees.

This was because she had taxed the costs and fees of these six cases come ceduta, on a point of law - meaning at the minimum - because no amount of damages had been liquidated in court, as the compensation was determined out of court. 

As a Member of Parliament, Dr Abela had asked several parliamentary questions to reveal the amount of compensation paid by the government and insurance companies to the Paqpaqli victims, in the hope that he would be paid according to the total value of the compensation, and not on the minimum come ceduta as should be.

The difference between a tax on a point of law and a tax based on the value of damages is substantial, amounting to thousands of euros.

When he got nowhere, Dr Abela continued to put great pressure on court employees and began threatening the employee in my office who had issued the tax, stating he would have her fired if she did not do what he wanted.

Furthermore, Dr Robert Abela involved me directly when he began insinuating that I was complicit in this with the President of Malta, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, to have the cases taxed at the minimum.

As a lawyer, he should have known that no judge gets involved in the way the tax for rights and expenses of a case is calculated. For a judge to be complicit with one of the parties in cases before them is one of the most serious accusations that can be made. But for Dr Abela, money was more important than the independence of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Dr Abela was appointed Prime Minister, and a few days later, I had the occasion to meet him at the courthouse along with other members of the judiciary for a formal meeting.

After the meeting ended, I spoke to him privately and told him that now that he was Prime Minister, I could not let this matter slide and that I was worried because of it.

I told him it was not right that he had threatened to fire one of the employees in my office. I also told him that if he had followed the way I directed the proceedings of the six cases, he would have known I was not complicit with President Coleiro Preca.

But Prime Minister Abela told me to forget it because it was now water under the bridge. This is as far as Dr Abela's sense of respect for the judiciary and the rule of law goes.

The second episode concerns a publication issued by the Labour Party led by Dr Abela. I felt threatened and outraged by what was written in this book, especially by the foul lie regarding a deceased member of my family, who was wrongly accused of committing a criminal offence.

When I asked Dr Abela to withdraw this publication from shops, he tried to stall me with words. He told me that Sensiela Kotba Soċjalisti (SKS) is independent of the Labour Party. He told me that when the book was presented to him, he was only given the cover.

Subsequently, I found out that the telephone number and address for SKS are those of the Labour Party headquarters, and despite everything, the book continued to be advertised on Labour Party media.

I then requested a public apology regarding the book and that the proceeds go to charity. But Dr Abela continued to stall, and he was not even capable of making this symbolic gesture. All this while knowing that through his party's publication, a sitting judge and his family were outraged and insulted, and he could do nothing publicly to defend himself.

For these reasons, where it is evident that Dr Robert Abela has a clear conflict of interest and is prejudiced against me, I am requesting that he abstain from participating in the negotiations, consultations, deliberations, and the selection of the person who should serve as the new Chief Justice.

Thank you for your attention. 

Judge Lawrence Mintoff 

Copy to: 

Her Excellency the President of Malta

The Hon. Prime Minister of Malta

The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister

The Hon. Minister for Justice

---

Original version of the letter in Maltese:

Lis-Segretarju tal-Kabinett tal-Ministri

20 ta’ Frar, 2026

Sur Segretarju,

Bil-ġurament tiegħi nikkonferma illi:

Il-Prim Ministru Dr Robert Abela għoġbu jibagħat għalija biex niltaqa’ miegħu fil-11 ta‘ Frar, 2026, għaliex qalli li għandna bżonn nitkellmu.

Għidtlu li s-sitwazzjoni preżenti hija waħda surreali ħafna għalija, b‘ismi li tfaċċa fil-media tal-Knisja, fejn ingħad li l-Oppożizzjoni m’għandhomx oġġezzjoni għalija u għal tliet persuni oħra jekk xi ħadd minnha jiġi maħtur bħala Prim Imħallef, imeta jien m’għandix l-appoġġ tiegħu. Qalli li jekk jagħmel lil xi ħadd mil-lista ta’ Newsbook, ikun qiegħed jidher li qed joqgħod għal dak li jiddettawlu tal-Oppożizzjoni. Qalli jekk jagħmel li xi wieħed minn dawk proposti mill-Oppożizzjoni jonqoslu l-appoġġ mad-‘diehards’ tiegħu, u jikber fl-istatura Alex Borg. Għidtlu li assolutament ma naqbilx miegħu li kariga importanti ta’ Prim Imħallef tibqa’ mdendla minħabba konsiderazzjonijiet partiġġjani, u li ma tiġix deċiża fuq il-mertu tal-persuni u ta’ x’inhu l-aħjar fl-interess tal-pajjiż. Għidtlu li huwa żbaljat wkoll fil-kalkoli partiġġjani tiegħu, li d-diehards tiegħu ser isibu xi problema bijja, għaliex ismi jgawdi l-appoġġ tal-Oppożizzjoni. Ghidtlu li wara kollox biex isir il-Prim Imħallef ġdid huwa meħtieġ l-appoġġ taż-żewġ naħat tal-Kamra, u jekk jintlaħaq qbil fuq xi ħadd, il-mertu jkun taż-żewġ naħat, u mhux ta’ xi naħa jew oħra. Qalli li anki f’pajjiżi barranin jidħlu konsiderazzjonijiet partiġġjani f’dawn l-affarijiet.

Jien semmejtlu l-ħatra ta’ Dr George Abela bħala President tar-Repubblika, li ġie propost mill-Gvern ta’ dakinhar, u li kellu imbagħad ukoll l-appoġġ tal-Oppożizzjoni, u la rebħet naħa u lanqas l-oħra, imma rebaħ il-pajjiż. Qalli li kien żball li Dr. Gonzi għamel lil Dr George Abela President.

Qalli li l-pjan tal-Oppożizzjoni huwa li jaħarqu l-erba’ ismijiet li semmew fi Newsbook, inkluż lili, u imbagħad joħorġu b’isem xi ħaddieħor li huma għandhom f’moħħhom, u semmili lil xi ħadd, u qalli li huwa ma jaqbilx ma’ dan l-isem għax għandu l-avukati kollha kontrih. Għidtlu illi jekk huwa veru li l-Oppożizzjoni ipproponew erba’ ismijiet biex jaħarquhom, why don’t you call their bluff, jekk skont hu dan huwa bluff. Jien bqajt ngħidlu għal kemm-il darba li ma naqbilx li f’din il-kwistjoni tant sensittiva, għandhom jidħlu konsiderazzjonijiet ta’ pika partiggjana.

Dr Abela qal li t-temperatura politika attwali hija waħda taħraq u li mhijiex serena, u li ma tippermettix li ssir din l-għażla issa, u li jippreferi li jħalli din il-kwistjoni għal wara l-elezzjoni li ġejja, li trid issir sa massimu ta’ Marzu tas-sena d-dieħla. Għidtlu li dan mhuwiex aċċettabbli għalija, u li nies bħali, b’li qed jipproponi hu, iċ-ċans tagħhom ma jiġi qatt. Imbagħad beda jgħidli biex nagħtih iċ-ċans jaħsibha, għax għadu ma ddeċieda xejn u l-bieb għadu miftuħ. U baqa’ jgħidli għal ma nafx kemm-il darba biex nagħtih ċans sal-elezzjoni li jmiss, u l-laqgħa spiċċat hemm.

Meta imbagħad komplejna bil-konverżazzjoni tagħna bil-Whatsapp filgħaxija, sabbatli ma’ wiċċi l-istess bieb li sa ftit sigħat qabel suppost li kien għadu miftuħ. Qalli li evita li jgħidli l-vera raġuni għalfejn jien qatt ma kont l-għażla tiegħu, biex ma jweġġgħanix, qal hu, u semma l-fattur tal-età u li jien ma fadallix żmien biżżejjed qabel nirtira sabiex inħalli impatt. Weġibtu li meta Dr Joseph Azzopardi ġie maħtur Prim Imħallef, kien għad fadallu l-istess żmien sa ma jirtira li għandi jien illum. Ir-risposta ta’ Dr Abela għal dan kienet li huwa ma kienx qabel mal-ħatra ta’ Dr Azzopardi bħala Prim Imħallef.

Iżda r-raġuni vera u proprja għalfejn Dr Abela qed joġġezzjona għalija, m’hija xejn minn dak li qalli waqt il-laqgħa tal-11 ta’ Frar, 2026, imma huma żewġ episodji li seħħew waqt li jien kont qed naqdi d-doveri tiegħi ta’ imħallef, u kelli nikkonfrontah u kont kostrett li nieqaflu fiż-żewġ okkażjonijiet.

Ftit xhur qabel ma Dr Abela ġie maħtur Prim Ministru, jien kont qed nisma’ sitt kawżi ċivili għad-danni li kienu għamlu 23 persuni vittmi tal-inċident ta’ Paqpaqli, li kien seħħ fuq ir-runway l-antika ta’ Ħal Farruġ. Dawn il-kawżi kienu ġew tranżatti u ċeduti, wara li ntlaħaq out of court settlement dwar il-kumpens li kellu jingħata lill-vittmi tal-imsemmi inċident. Dr Robert Abela kien l-avukat difensur ta’ wieħed mill-konvenuti f’dawn il-kawżi. Ftit tal-ġimgħat wara li kienu ġew ċeduti dawn il-kawżi, ġejt infurmat minn waħda mill-impjegati tal-Qorti li kienet taħdem fl-uffiċċju tiegħi, li Dr Robert Abela kien qiegħed jagħmel pressjoni kbira fuqha u fuq impjegati tar-Reġistru tal-Qorti, għaliex hija kienet intaxxat l-ispejjeż u ddrittijiet ta’ dawn is-sitt kawżi come ceduta, fuq punt ta’ dritt, ċjoé fuq il-minimu, għaliex f’dawn il-kawżi ma ġie llikwidat l-ebda ammont bħala danni, peress li l-ammont tal-kumpens kien ġie determinat barra l-Qorti. Bħala deputat parlamentari, Dr Abela kien għamel diversi mistoqsijiet parlamentari, sabiex jiġi żvelat l-ammont ta’ kumpens imħallas mill-Gvern u mill-kumpanniji tal-assikurazzjoni lill-vittmi ta’ Paqpaqli, bit-tama li huwa jitħallas skont il-valur totali tal-kumpens, u mhux fuq il-minimu come ceduta kif suppost. Id-differenza bejn taxxa fuq punt ta’ dritt u taxxa skont il-valur tad-danni, hija waħda sostanzjali, u timporta eluf ta’ Euro. Meta ma wasal imkien, Dr Abela baqa’ jagħmel pressjoni kbira fuq l-impjegati tal-Qorti, u beda jhedded lill-impjegata fl-uffiċċju tiegħi li kienet għamlet it-taxxa, illi kien ser keċċieha mix-xogħol jekk din ma tagħmilx dak li ried hu. Barra minn hekk Dr Robert Abela għoġbu jdaħħal lili direttament fil-kwistjoni, meta beda jinsinwa li jien kont kompliċi f’dan kollu mal-President ta’ Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, biex is-sitt kawżi jiġu ntaxxati fuq il-minimu, meta bħala avukat kien imissu jaf li l-ebda ġudikant ma jidħol fil-mod ta’ kif tinħadem it-taxxa tad-drittijiet u spejjeż ta’ kawża. Li ġudikant ikun kompliċi ma’ waħda mill-partijiet f’kawżi li jkunu qegħdin jinstemgħu quddiemu, hija waħda mill-iktar akkużi serji li jistgħu jsiru fil-konfront ta’ ġudikant. Imma għal Dr Abela aktar kienu importanti l-flus mill-indipendenza tal-ġudikatura.

Sadanittant Dr. Abela ġie maħtur bħala Prim Ministru, u ftit tal-ġranet wara kelli l-okkażjoni li niltaqa’ miegħu fil-bini tal-Qorti flimkien mal-ġudikanti l-oħra f’laqgha formali. Wara li spiċċat il-laqgħa, kellimtu rasimbras, u għidtlu li issa li ġie maħtur bħala Prim Ministru, ma stajtx inħalli din il-kwistjoni tibqa’ għaddejja u li kont inkwetat minħabba f’hekk. Għidtlu li mhux sew li kien hedded lil waħda mill-impjegati fl-uffiċċju tiegħi li kien ser ikeċċieha mix-xogħol. Għidtlu wkoll li kieku segwa b’attenzjoni l-mod ta’ kif jien iddiriġejt l-andament tas-sitt kawżi, kien imissu jaf kemm ma kontx kompliċi mal-President Coleiro Preca. Imma l-Prim Ministru Abela qalli biex ninsieha għax issa din aqua passata. Sa hawn iwassal is-sens ta’ rispett li għandu Dr Abela għall-ġudikatura u għas-saltna tad-dritt.

It-tieni episodju jittratta l-pubblikazzjoni li nħarġet mill-Partit Laburista mmexxi minn Dr Abela, fejn ħassejtni mhedded u oltraġġjat mhux ftit b’dak li nkiteb f’dan il-ktieb, l-aktar bil-gidba faħxija dwar membru tal-familja tiegħi li llum huwa mejjet, li ġie akkużat intortament li wettaq reat kriminali. Meta tlabt lil Dr Abela sabiex jirtira din il-pubblikazzjoni mill-ħwienet, ipprova jżommni bil-paroli. Qalli li s-Sensiela Kotba Soċjalisti (l-SKS) hija indipendenti mill-Partit Laburista. Qalli li meta ġie ppreżentat bil-ktieb, huwa ngħata biss il-qoxra tiegħu. Sussegwentement kelli nsir naf li n-numru tat-telefon u l-indirizz tal-SKS huma dawk tal-Kwartieri tal-Partit Laburista, u minkejja kollox, il-ktieb baqa’ jiġi reklamat fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir tal-Partit Laburista. Imbagħad tlabtu sabiex issir apoloġija pubblika dwar dan il-ktieb, u li l-proceeds mill-ktieb imorru għall-karità. Imma Dr Abela baqa’ jżommni bil-paroli, u lanqas dan il-ġest simboliku ma kien kapaċi jagħmel. Dakollu meta kien jaf li bil-pubblikazzjoni tal-Partit tiegħu, ġie oltraġġat u disprezzat imħallef sedenti u l-familja tiegħu, li ma seta’ jagħmel xejn pubblikament biex jiddefendi lilu nnifsu.

Għal dawn ir-raġunijiet, fejn huwa evidenti li Dr Robert Abela għandu konflitt ta’ interess ċar u li huwa preġudikat kontra tiegħi, qed nitlob li huwa jastjeni milli jieħu sehem fin-negozjati, fil-konsultazzjonijiet, fid-deliberazzjonijiet u fl-għażla tal-persuna li għandha sservi bħala Prim Imħallef ġdid.

Grazzi tal-attenzjoni.

Imħallef Lawrence Mintoff

 

Kopja lil:

L-Eċċellenza Tagħha l-President ta’ Malta;

L-Onor. Prim Ministru ta’ Malta;

L-Onor. Deputat Prim Ministru;

L-Onor. Ministru tal-Ġustizzja