MaltaToday

LETTERS | Sunday, 15 July 2007

The AG, not me

Dr Jason Azzopardi, Valletta

I refer to the article “Politics of despair and politics of convenience” (Maltatoday 11 July).
Kindly note that I did not “lose any appeal”. Not only because any court case, including an appeal, is always the client’s and never the lawyer’s, but also since in this particular case, it was the Attorney General who appealed and not the defence.
It is pertinent to point out that it was only the AG who appealed, invoking and asking for a term of effective imprisonment to be imposed. Incidentally, the persons involved had previously admitted (and were not found guilty) the charges brought against them in front of the Court of Magistrates. The Court of Criminal Appeal did not uphold the Attorney General’s appeal and thus confirmed the judgment meted out by the Court of Magistrates in its totality.
Kindly also note that I did not sign or write any letter on their behalf asking for any Presidential pardon to be granted, which, incidentally, is a right granted by our Constitution to anyone and which has been resorted to by all and sundry since the promulgation of our Constitution.
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Editorial note:

The Nationalist MP is playing with words. He shares an office with Dr Busietta who signed the letter for a Presidential request, and yes, he lost the appeal, which was not filed by himself but by the Attorney General. The fact is that Dr Jason Azzopardi was involved as a lawyer in a case involving two corrupt ADT officials and that after the Appeal’s court judgment his colleague Dr Busietta called on the President to award a Presidential Pardon. The confusion over the case led to the eventual resignation letter by Jesmond Mugliett.

OPINIONS

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