Disbarred lawyer Patrick Spiteri, who is at the centre of a €7.4 million misappropriation and fraud case, is requesting a partial lifting of bail conditions to allow him to travel abroad on work duties.
The former lawyer was arrested in Surrey, England in 2014 after an investigation by the Sunday Times of Malta and extradited to Malta in 2017 on the strength of seven European arrest warrants.
While proceedings continue, the former tax lawyer had been granted bail by several courts, leading to his release from preventive arrest against a total deposit of €33,000, a personal guarantee of €80,000 and a further pledge of €20,000.
Yet when proceedings continued on Tuesday, defence lawyer Stefano Filletti deplored the fact that the prosecution had taken “20 years to achieve nothing” claiming that little progress had been registered.
Earlier on, the defence had described the former lawyer’s work prospects as poor, claiming that Dr Spiteri was unemployable in Malta.
Four partners from a leading law firm, two businessmen and family members were called to testify in this regard.
All said that although Dr Spiteri was competent and trustworthy, no firm would risk damaging its reputation by taking him on board, noting further that his involvement would likely raise issues with banks and the local financial services watchdog regarding due diligence and compliance.
Dr Filletti said it had been a humiliating experience for his client to be turned away from potential jobs, sometimes even by “old friends.”
Recently, he had finally found employment with a Malta-based UK company. However, this job essentially required him to travel abroad occasionally, thereby necessitating a relaxation of his bail conditions.
Pointing out that Dr Spiteri was being supported financially by his mother-in-law, Dr Filletti argued that the latter had every interest to ensure that the accused would not breach bail conditions since that would imply forfeiture of her money.
Magistrate Josette Demicoli, declared that she would decree on the matter in chambers.
Lawyer Charles Mercieca from the Attorney General’s Office prosecuted.