In the ongoing Electrogas case, the court’s decision to impose freezing orders on certain defendants has raised eyebrows. Notably, the same experts from the hospitals inquiry, who have faced criticism for their previous conduct in the Vitals case have been appointed in this case too.
The prosecution has even admitted under oath that there were no financial transactions involving public officials in the case. This applies to former minister Dr Konrad Mizzi, former chief of staff Keith Schembri, as well as some other accused individuals like the representatives of the Accounting firm, Brian Tonna and Karl Cini. Despite this, the court has imposed freezing orders that many consider unrealistic.
It’s important to note that, at this stage, the court may not have the jurisdiction to override the prosecution’s requests and is generally obliged to accede to them. However, the prosecution’s request for freezing orders appears illogical, especially when applied to accused individuals whom the investigating police officer has stated unequivocally have received no money in the case.
This situation raises serious questions about the fairness and consistency of legal proceedings in Malta. The imposition of freezing orders on individuals who have not been proven to have benefited financially from the alleged crimes seems unjust and warrants further scrutiny.
