Today, Repubblika filed an application with the Criminal Court Registry to appeal the judgment of the Court of Magistrates presided over by Magistrate Sant Lia, which was handed down last week.
In the appeal, Repubblika is recalling that Dr Robert Aquilina had presented a mountain of evidence before the Court, in the form of an authenticated copy of the Pilatus Inquiry and internal emails of the Police Force. Repubblika argues that this evidence should have led and should lead the Court to order the Commissioner of Police to execute the clear order given by the Investigating Magistrate in the Pilatus Inquiry, namely to bring to Court all those whom the inquiry found should face charges.
In the application, Repubblika is also showing that the judgment handed down last week is full of legal and factual inaccuracies and that its conclusion is based on these inaccuracies.
For example, in this judgment it is stated that Dr Aquilina did not present a copy of a particular report, when in reality that report was presented to the Court in its entirety. The judgment also states that Dr Aquilina did not present evidence regarding the conclusion of the Pilatus Inquiry, when in reality a copy of those conclusions authenticated by Dr Aquilina himself was presented. Furthermore, the former Deputy Commissioner of Police Alexandra Mamo, under oath in Court, stated and acknowledged that what Dr Aquilina presented to the Court was the truth and nothing but the truth.
Repubblika recalls that Pilatus Bank caused great damage to Malta and tarnished our name throughout the world, so much so that it was closed once and for all with the direct intervention of the European Central Bank and was one of the main reasons why Malta was placed on the FATF grey list. Repubblika also recalls that the Pilatus Inquiry cost the Maltese people more than seven and a half million euros.
Therefore, Repubblika has been and continues to maintain that it is an insult to the Maltese and Gozitan people as a whole that what this inquiry found continues to be ignored by the Police Commissioner. Despite acknowledging that this legal battle is a difficult one, Repubblika reiterates its promise that it will continue to work and insist on justice being done for our country and our people.
Repubblika thanks Lawyer Jason Azzopardi for his legal assistance in this case.