Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540142
4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 8 OCTOBER 2025 NEWS CAREER OPPORTUNITY MARIA SPITERI AUTO SPRAY Painter required the location is Gozo. For further information email on: pu- litugarage@gmail.com or call 99049706. CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The Massive Ordnance Pene- trator, a 30-tonne U.S. military bomb, is known for its destruc- tive force, making the post's imagery particularly aggressive. Fenech's defence team, led by lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran, Marion Camilleri, and Charles Mercieca, argued that the post was a clear violation of the court's previous decree. The post referred unmistak- ably to Fenech, implied that he "ordered a killing" and that such statements undermine the presumption of innocence by suggesting guilt before the ju- ry's determination. The defence further empha- sised repeated contempt, that this was not the first breach and similar posts had previously been removed following court orders. The persistence of such con- duct demonstrated disrespect for judicial authority and the defence thus urged the court to take appropriate action in the interest of justice. In response, lawyer Jason Az- zopardi rejected all allegations and argued that his post was an exercise of his constitutional right to free speech, not a refer- ence to the accused. He maintained that nowhere in the post was Fenech's name mentioned and concluded that there was no evidence linking the post to Fenech and that his complaint was an overreach de- signed to silence him. Madame Justice Edwina Gri- ma delivered a clear and firm ruling on the matter, finding that despite Azzopardi's deni- als, his post was "undoubted- ly and indirectly" referring to Yorgen Fenech. The phrasing of the post, par- ticularly the comment "Part 3. No way out" could not reasona- bly refer to anyone else. The court held that the post breached the standing de- cree prohibiting comments on Fenech or his case. Given the history of warnings, Azzopar- di's behaviour displayed a dis- regard for judicial orders. By implying guilt, Azzopardi's post undermined the presump- tion of innocence, a corner- stone of criminal justice. Such statements, especially com- ing from a parte civile lawyer, risked contaminating the jury process. Judge Grima concluded that Azzopardi's conduct amounted to contempt of court and he was fined €300. He was once again strictly warned not to make any further comments, directly or indirectly, about Fenech or the forthcoming jury until it is con- cluded. Lawyer Jason Azzopardi fined €300 for contempt of court over Yorgen Fenech case Lawyer Jason Azzopardi has been fined €300 for contempt of court after a judge ruled that his social media post indirectly referred to Yorgen Fenech and implied guilt despite an existing court order banning such comments CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Last month, Labour MPs vot- ed down a proposal by Oppo- sition MPs to discuss the Na- tional Audit Office's (NAO) findings on the 2019 deal which saw government push through a parliamentary resolution to re- move conditions on public land acquired by the Fortina Group. However, PL MPs Glenn Bed- ingfield and Alex Muscat insist- ed that it "makes no sense" to have two parliamentary com- mittees discussing the same re- port at the same time. In a statement, the Labour Party interpreted Graham Bencini's statement as "internal division" inside the Nationalist Party. "In other words, Graham Bencini, on behalf of the Na- tionalist MPs on the PAC, clar- ified that there is a "misunder- standing" and distanced himself from the other Nationalist MPs in the Parliamentary Audit Committee," it said. "The more things change, the more the PN remains the same." The Lands Authority has been tasked with preparing a new re- port to determine the valuation of the removal of conditions on public land acquired by the For- tina Group in 2019. The decision was made by parliament's National Audit Office Accounts Committee on Monday. The committee was convened by Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg in September shortly after the National Au- dit Office (NAO) published its investigation into the Fortina deal. Opposition MP Graham Bencini says Public Accounts Committee, on which he sits, had nothing to with decision by National Audit Committee to instruct Lands Authority to prepare a new valuation report on Fortina deal Graham Bencini denies Public Accounts Committee role in decision for new Fortina deal valuation Opposition MP Graham Bencini (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)