News | Sunday, 25 January 2009

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

MediaToday fined €7,000

Appeals Court Judge Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo has overturned a lower Court decision that had acquitted MaltaToday editor Saviour Balzan of advertising gambling in the Sunday newspaper.
The Appeals court decreed on Friday that the small script in the January 2005 issue of MaltaToday was tantamount to an advert.
The maximum fine stipulated by the Malta Gaming Act is €232,000 or/and two years imprisonment. Before deliberating, Justice Caruana Demajo asked the defence and prosecution whether the Attorney would consider the minimum fine.
The court adjourned for one hour until the lawyers discussed the matter with the Attorney General Silvio Camilleri. The court fined Saviour Balzan as editor of MaltaToday €7,000.
The Attorney General had appealed the original ruling by Magistrate Silvio Meli.
The short article in question was an innocuous review in the What’s On section of MaltaToday of a restaurant in the St Julian’s area. The write-up made passing reference to the presence of gambling machines. The gaming act does not preclude certain advertising of gambling in Malta, such as Maltco lotteries.
The defence argued that the article was not an advertisement and that no monies had ever been received by the defendant.
A full report on the case will appear in next Sunday’s MaltaToday.

Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below.
Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.