Updated 10.45am with lawyers' statement
A parish priest accused of defrauding parishioners was referred to the state’s mental health hospital after a court heard that he told his lawyers that his life had “ended” following criminal charges.
Fr Luke Seguna was granted bail on Thursday but spent that night in Corradino Correctional Facility, as his bail money was not deposited in time.
He was released from prison on Friday but spent most of that day at Mount Carmel Hospital to have his mental well-being assessed by psychiatrists. He was allowed to return home later that day.
Sources said prison authorities had referred Seguna to the hospital as a precaution, to ensure the priest was not a danger to himself or others.
Seguna, who was suspended as Marsaxlokk parish priest hours before he was charged in court, stands accused of defrauding parishioners out of hundreds of thousands of euro in donations.
Some 17 civilian witnesses, mostly members of his own congregation, testified how they handed over sums of money to him without receiving receipts or later questioning what their donations were spent on.
Many of them praised Seguna's work for the church and the people of Marsaxlokk parish.
He denies charges of money laundering and misappropriation and was granted bail at the end of an eight-hour sitting on Thursday. A court heard how Seguna had told his lawyers that “my life has ended” following the court case.
Seguna's lawyers told Times of Malta that the priest was referring to his public life as a priest when he made that statement, and was not to be misconstrued as being of suicidal intent.
"His priesthood means a lot to him, it's his life," his lawyers said, adding that they had only mentioned Seguna's comment to the court as part of their request for the case to be heard behind closed doors.
The prosecution says Seguna misappropriated some €500,000 donated by 150 parishioners over a 10-year span and that the money was intended for the Church. Seguna, 39, claims the payments were made to him personally.
It is understood that part of the funds, some €148,000, were spent on pornographic websites.