Prime Minister Robert Abela has stood by the Gozo ministry's decision not to suspend three officials who are facing charges of involuntary homicide. 

The Gozo ministry told Times of Malta on Wednesday that the permanent secretary asked the Public Service Commission not to suspend the officials, given the involuntary nature of the charges and their “exemplary record”.

The three employees are Joseph Cutajar, 43, from Victoria, director of EcoGozo; Vicky Xuereb, 43, from Munxar, the director general of the ministry’s strategy and support division; and Joseph Xuereb, 54, from Xewkija, the Gozo Ministry’s day-to-day manager.

Asked about the Gozo ministry's decision on Thursday, Abela told Newsbook it is a "misnomer" that anyone with judicial procedures against them has to be suspended. 

"This is incorrect as the rules by the Public Service Commission (PSC) say that suspension on half pay pending judicial procedures is optional... In this case, the charges are of an involuntary nature and I believe this is a fundamental distinction," Abela said. 

The officials were charged with causing the death of Carmel Attard, a 52-year-old maintenance worker from Xewkija who was killed after the ceiling of a public toilet in Dwejra, Gozo, collapsed on him as he carried out work there last year. 

PN's spokesperson for Gozo Alex Borg earlier on Thursday called on Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri to "let the courts do their job without any pressure". He also said someone must take responsibility for the incident. 

Borg also asked what the General Workers Union (GWU) was doing about this case. 

"Is the GWU there just to make money off each and every one of these workers?" he said. 

Meanwhile, it has since been confirmed that PN spokesperson for Home Affairs, Joe Giglio, is the defence lawyer for one of the three accused, [Joseph] Xuereb.

When contacted, he said that his remit is limited to the criminal case.