Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533434
4 NEWS 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 19 MARCH 2025 MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt AUSTRALIAN couple, Celia Eileen Jane Dun- lop and Timothy Alan Mackay, both 64, have been granted bail by a Maltese court as they appealed a Polish extradition request. The two individuals, who have been resident in Malta for more than 10 years, are wanted in Poland over fraud-related charges. Poland issued a European Arrest Warrant on 31 December 2024 and requested the two be returned to Poland to face criminal proceed- ings. They are being accused in Poland of taking part in a criminal organisation and using a pyramid selling scheme to defraud individu- als. The two allegedly defrauded approximate- ly 432 people to the tune of €238,603. In February, after the EAW was issued, Mag- istrate Leonard Caruana upheld Poland's re- quest and ordered the extradition of the two individuals. However, the couple appealed the decision and their lawyer, Franco Debono, requested bail in front of the Criminal Court of Appeal. The Attorney General objected to the bail re- quest due to the serious nature of the offences, and the limited ties the couple has with Malta, making them a flight risk. The defence argued that extraditing the indi- viduals to Polish authorities would mean fac- ing potential prosecution for offences alleged- ly committed more than 10 years ago. The defence also told the court that the couple do indeed have strong ties with Mal- ta when taking into consideration that for the past decade, the couple have resided on the island and even own a multi-million property and have a valid residence permit. Dunlop is also a shareholder in a Mal- tese-registered company, making it highly un- likely that she would attempt to abscond, the court also heard. Following this, Madam Justice Edwina Gri- ma granted bail to the individuals against a €10,000 deposit and a €40,000 personal guar- antee. A number of bail conditions were imposed including a curfew and an order to sign the bail book twice daily. Inspector Roderick Spiteri prosecuted. Law- yers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit rep- resented the woman and lawyers Jose Herrera and Martina Herrera represented Mackay. Two Australians wanted in Poland over pyramid scheme fraud granted bail by Maltese judge Government signs shore- to-ship agreement with Carnival UK & P&O Cruises An Australian couple wanted in Poland on fraud charges have been granted bail during extradition proceedings in a Maltese court • Couple have been living in Malta for more than 10 years GOVERNMENT has signed the first shore power agreement with Carnival UK & P&O Cruises. The agreement means cruise ships will connect to the nation- al grid while docked so they can switch off their engines. The initi- ative with Transport Malta, is said to improve air quality in the Grand Harbour. Speaking at a press conference at Villa Bighi in Kalkara, Prime Minister Robert Abela said the agreement is not only in line with European Union regulations but is also a demonstration of leadership in sustainable maritime practices. Abela further stated that invest- ing in sustainability is both an eth- ical obligation and a competitive advantage. Infrastructure minister Chris Bonett said that by connecting ships to clean, onshore electricity, surrounding communities' quality of life improves. Energy minister Miriam Dalli was also present for the event. The agreement was signed by Carnival UK & P&O Cruises on behalf of Carnival Corporation & Plc, whose cruise lines frequent- ly visit Malta. P&O Cruises home ports weekly in Valletta during the summer season Additionally, the P&O Cruises ship Azura is currently undergoing a drydock refit in Malta, ensur- ing it will be equipped to connect to the newly implemented shore power systems. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt Hours after getting elected on Labour ticket, St Paul's Bay councillor turns independent NEW St Paul's Bay councillor Charles Cassar declared he will be serving as independent, just hours after being elected on the Labour ticket in a casual election. In a letter sent to the coun- cil secretary, Cassar said he would be serving in the post as independent council- lor, requesting the Electoral Commission be informed of his decision. He was elected through a casual election following the resignation of councillor Al- fred Grima. However, Labour Party dep- uty leader Alex Agius Saliba told MaltaToday that it was the party that asked Cassar to resign given that he was handed down a suspended sentence last August on sev- eral criminal charges. "The moment I was in- formed that Mr Cassar was elected in the casual election, I called him and asked him to resign because he could not represent the party given his criminal conviction. Nobody with such a conviction can represent the party," Agius Saliba said. The party could not stop Cassar from contesting the casual election since this is a decision the individual takes. Last August, Cassar ad- mitted to domestic violence charges and sexual harass- ment of a minor. The court condemned him to a two-year prison sentence suspended for four years. Alfred Grima had cited a "serious lack of good govern- ance" as the reason behind his resignation. He said he was "forced to take this step as a conse- quence of the serious lack of good governance, which seems to be allowed to con- tinue as if nothing happened". In his letter, he singled out the mayor's disparaging and tribalistic attitude. "A lack of transparency, breach of reg- ulations, and misinformation is now the order of the day," he complained. Grima referred to a recent decision by the council lead- ers to prevent a discussion on two special resolutions brought forward by five coun- cillors. He described this is an attempt to silence the coun- cillors and prevent them from exercising their obligations in the interest of the locality. Independent St Paul's Bay councillor Charles Cassar Labour Party asked councillor to resign because of a criminal conviction