The Church will appear as an injured party in the case against a parish priest accused of misappropriating hundreds of thousands of euros in donations.
The Curia has submitted a request to appear as parte civile in the case against Fr Luke Seguna, the Marsaxlokk parish priest in the eye of a storm.
Church sources said that if Seguna is eventually convicted, the Curia could move from parte civile to opening a civil case to recoup donations that were meant for the Church.
“This is the first step in a process that could end in the Church seeking to recover losses,” a source said.
Meanwhile, sources said the church has already started non-legal proceedings to try to recover any of the funds allegedly misappropriated by Seguna.
Seguna, 39, is pleading not guilty to charges of misappropriation and money laundering after he was recently arraigned
Seguna, 39, is pleading not guilty to charges of misappropriation and money laundering after he was recently arraigned.
The parish priest is claiming the payments were made to him personally whereas the prosecution says he misappropriated some €500,000 donated by 150 parishioners over a 10-year span and that the money was intended for the Church.
The source explained that, since a portion of every donation is meant to go to the central Church fund, Seguna may have defrauded the Curia.
On Sunday, Times of Malta reported that the Church has ordered an audit into the Marsaxlokk parish to understand the extent of the financial mismanagement that may have gone on there.
Meanwhile, Seguna also stands charged with fraud, falsifying a public deed and using a falsified document.
Seguna had hundreds of thousands of euros deposited in various bank accounts and a collection of five motorbikes and two cars, despite a relatively meagre income as a clergyman.
He is also believed to have spent some €148,000 on pornographic websites.
The case will next be heard on Thursday when the court is expected to decide on a request for bail for the priest.
Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, presiding over the case, has also ordered that key civilian witnesses be brought to testify.
Despite the severity of the charges, many in the close-knit fishing village have stood by Seguna.
Archbishop Scicluna celebrated Mass in Marsaxlokk on Saturday evening in a mark of solidarity with parishioners. He has also contacted the Seguna family to offer support.