Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers have turned to the courts for protection following an incident one of the team faced at the Corradino Correctional Facility on the eve of Tuesday’s murder sitting.

Details of the incident, hinted at during the hearing, were outlined in an application filed by lawyer Charles Mercieca, drawing the attention of Magistrate Rachel Montebello and calling for protection both for himself, in the exercise of his legal duties, as well as for Fenech, the business tycoon accused with complicity in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

The incident happened when Mercieca visited his client in prison on Monday, armed with documents he took along to discuss with Fenech in preparation for next day’s hearing in the murder compilation. 

After going through the routine search, the lawyer reached the accused but some 10 minutes later, the lawyer-client meeting was loudly interrupted by the arrival of prison director Alex Dalli, who objected vociferously, pointing at the documents.

He insisted that no papers were allowed in unless individually documented and scanned.

The lawyer would not let go of the papers.

Turning to three armed security guards, the prison director instructed them to see to it that the papers were removed from the room, in spite of Mercieca protesting that those documents were “important” in preparing for the next day’s session in court. 

But the director would hear none of that and, as the incident dragged on for some five minutes or so, Mercieca finally decided to cut the meeting short, sensing that the commotion was affecting his client “emotionally”.

Making his way out of the lawyers’ room, Mercieca once again met Dalli who, banging on the reception desk, loudly continued, “I don’t give a damn about anyone, not even the court… I rule here and all must obey me.”

If the lawyer did not like that, he could just take his leave, the prison chief declared.

Fenech’s lawyers filed an application, outlining the incident which was captured on CCTV, and called upon the court to protect them in the exercise of their duties. 

They also called for protection for their client who, pending bail, falls under the custody of the court. 

Mercieca had hinted at the incident during Tuesday’s hearing but no details were disclosed since other matters on the day’s agenda had taken precedence. 

Lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran, Marion Camilleri and Charles Mercieca signed the application.