Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545300
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 JUNE 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 He was also handed an eight- month sentence for a separate incident on 14 July, 2022. In the second incident, Cas- sar was in hospital, as his wife Bernice had brought their chil- dren to visit him, but an argu- ment broke out during which he threatened to kill her. Last November, Cassar was handed a 40-year prison sen- tence after admitting to the mur- der of his estranged wife, Bernice Cilia. In 2022, he shot his wife in the Corradino area as she was driv- ing to work. The killing became the first case ever prosecuted un- der Malta's aggravated offence of wilful femicide. He was arrested following a 17-hour standoff at his home in Qrendi. Court testimony and public outrage in the aftermath of the murder highlighted systemic failings in the protection of do- mestic violence victims. Bernice had filed several police reports in the months prior to her death, including one the day before she was killed, reporting breaches of a protection order and threats to her life. A subsequent inquiry led by retired judge Geoffrey Valenzia found the state had failed to pro- tect her, citing resource short- ages and poor risk-assessment procedures. The inquiry recom- mended urgent reforms, includ- ing a triage system for domestic violence reports and new proto- cols to assess high-risk cases, af- ter the DASH tool classified Ber- nice's situation as "medium risk." Roderick Cassar, first person found guilty of a femicide in Malta handed extra 11 months in jail Roderick Cassar with his face covered by a jacket on the back seat of a police car in 2023 (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday) Cabinet agrees to protect Zejtun's Wied iz-Zring from development Prime Minister Robert Abela says his team has the determination and skills needed to deliver on the promises made during the electoral campaign CABINET has agreed to re- move Żejtun's Wied iż-Żrinġ from the development area, Prime Minister Robert Abela said following the first Cabi- net meeting of this adminis- tration. He said the process to re- move the area's designation as a development zone will kick off shortly, thanking the farmers who till the fields and the organisation Wirt iż-Że- jtun and the Żejtun Local Council for their input. Last year, government signed a deal to ensure that the area beside the Bulebel Industrial Estate remains solely agricultural. In 2018, the space was ear- marked for an expansion of the industrial area, which caused massive public out- cry due to the environmental impact it would have on the biodiversity, including the Maltese Painted Frog. The new Cabinet met for the first time on Tuesday to begin work on implementing what Abela described as "the most ambitious manifesto of any political movement." He posted a short video on Facebook, saying the team has the determination and skills needed to deliver on the promises made during the electoral campaign, de- scribing it as possessing the competence, credibility and experience to do so. The prime minister formed his Cabinet with a mix of continuity and change, while Chris Fearne and Rosianne Cutajar made a controversial return to Cabinet as ministers responsible for foreign affairs and equality, respectively. Ian Borg and Jo Etienne Abela traded portfolios, with Borg taking over health and Abela assuming the tourism portfolio. Byron Camilleri was made education and sports minis- ter. The Home Affairs Min- istry was handed to Glenn Bedingfield. Clifton Grima is now re- sponsible for justice while the previous holder of this portfolio, Jonathan Attard, has been handed the respon- sibility of planning, infra- structure and employment. Chris Bonett has retained the transport portfolio, which is renamed as 'sustainable mo- bility'. Significant promotions were given to Omar Farrugia and Keith Azzopardi Tanti, who are ministers responsible for youth and European funds respectively. Previous parlia- mentary secretaries Alison Zerafa Civelli and Malcolm Paul Agius Galea have been promoted to ministers. Clyde Caruana, Silvio Schembri, Miriam Dalli, Mi- chael Falzon and Anton Refa- lo will continue in their pre- vious portfolios. EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt The area lies between the outskirts of Zejtun and the Bulebel Industrial Estate