Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1516944
THE Nationalist Party is once again calling for the political responsibility to be shouldered after the damning conclusions of the Jean Paul Sofia public in- quiry. Shadow minister for planning, Stanley Zammit quoted a 2020 interview with Miriam Dalli, as when she was still an MEP, she spoke of the importance of transparency and good govern- ance. Zammit reminded those present that Dalli and the rest of her colleagues voted against a public inquiry, which he de- scribed as an exercise in trans- parency. He emphasised that the frag- mentation between government and the entities which fall under it gives way for corruption. Com- menting on the lax enforcement pointed out by the public inquiry, Zammit called the report a cer- tificate of disfunctional systems which led to the fatal failures. Concluding, he once again called for Miriam Dalli's reseg- nation. Meanwhile, opposition spokes- person for energy Ryan Callus said that government is trying to satisfy the public's outrage through administrative resigna- tions. Callus noted that most of the people who've resigned last week were persons of trust appointed by the executive. The PN MP stated that if one reads between the lines of the re- port, one finds that responsibili- ty must not only be shouldered by the administrative workers. He reminded that the PN will soon present a no confidence motion in ministers Stefan Zrin- zo Azzopardi, Miriam Dalli and Silvio Schembri, in the after- math of the Sofia public inquiry findings. 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 MARCH 2024 NEWS MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt MATTHEW AGIUS magius@mediatoday.com.mt ELLIOT Paul Busuttil has been jailed for 42 years for the brutal murder of 62-year-old Mario Far- rugia in 2022 and the attempted murder of another man, whom he had attacked with a meat cleaver in 2020. He had reversed his initial plea and admitted guilt last month. During that sitting, the court had been told that the parties had reached a plea deal where Busuttil would plead guilty in return for a 35-year sentence. Human remains, which were later identified as being Farrugia's, were discovered in the boot of his Peugeot 407 which had been found, abandoned, in a Qormi valley in April 2022, a month after he was reported missing. Farrugia had been stabbed more than 40 times. Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, presiding the Criminal Court, disagreed with the punish- ment that the parties had agreed upon. The defendant had admitted to committing the barbarous mur- der of Mario Farrugia and later hid his body, said the judge. Busuttil's was "cold blooded and ready to do anything for the sum of just €100," noted Scerri Herrera. "A life is worth more than that." She handed down a 42-year prison sentence and ordered the confiscation of his bail security, amounting to €14,000 in total. He was also ordered not to molest or contact the man who had sur- vived the meat cleaver attack for one year. Busuttil was also ordered to pay €70,786 in costs, which would be translated into further prison time if not paid. The Court upheld a submission made by the surviving victim's lawyer, noting that the time had come for lawyers representing the victims of crimes to have a great- er role in the sentencing and plea bargaining process. The judge ordered that a copy of the pro- nouncement be delivered to the justice minister. Lawyers Edward Gatt and Shaun Zammit represented Busuttil. Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri assisted the family of murder victim Mario Farrugia as parte civile. Likewise lawyer Jason Azzopardi assisted Emil Marinov, whom Busuttil had nearly killed with a meat cleaver in a similar attack, which had left him perma- nently disabled. 42-year prison sentence handed to Qormi valley murderer Elliot Paul Busuttil Busuttil was also ordered to pay €70,786 in costs, which would be translated into further prison time if not paid (Photo: Facebook) The court handed down a 42-year prison sentence and ordered the confiscation of his bail security, amounting to €14,000 in total Public Notice Intent to Obtain Employment Agency License in relation to the activities of an outsourcing agency. Inspectra Limited, with the registered address being 049B, Industrial Estate, Marsa, MRS3000 and company registration number C35757 hereby declares its intent to secure an employment agency license per Legal Notice L.N. 270 of 2023. The operating office address being Crave House, Level 1, St. Bernard Street, Marsa, MRS 1330, Malta. Specializing but not limited to in GMP and quality outsourcing of personnel, Inspectra Ltd is committed to compliance with all regulations. Public Notice Intent to Obtain Employment Agency License in relation to the activities of an outsourcing agency. Inspectra Limited, with the registered address being 049B, Industrial Estate, Marsa, MRS3000 and company registration number C35757 hereby declares its intent to secure an employment agency license per Legal Notice L.N. 270 of 2023. The operating office address being Crave House, Level 1, St. Bernard Street, Marsa, MRS 1330, Malta. Specializing but not limited to in GMP and quality outsourcing of personnel, Inspectra Ltd is committed to compliance with all regulations. Public Notice Intent to Obtain Employment Agency License in relation to the recruitment of persons for employment in or outside of Malta. Inspectra Limited, with the registered address being 049B, Industrial Estate, Marsa, MRS3000 and company registration number C35757 hereby declares its intent to secure an employment agency license per Legal Notice L.N. 270 of 2023. The operating office address being Crave House, Level 1, St. Bernard Street, Marsa, MRS 1330, Malta. Specializing but not limited to GMP and quality recruitment of personnel, Inspectra Ltd is committed to compliance with all regulations. PN repeats call for political resignations after Jean Paul Sofia public inquiry