Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/689748
2 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 8 JUNE 2016 News F A O C C featuring the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Prof. Michael Laus with the participation of Soprano Miriam Gauci and e Goldberg Ensemble Choir at St John's Co-Cathedral on Wednesday 17 th June 2015 at 19.30 hrs. under the distinguished patronage of e Hon. Dr Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister A Reception will follow at the Auberge de Castille. Invitation-voucher(s) available from MASMOM o ces, Casa Lanfreducci, Pjazza Jean de Valette, adjacent to Our Lady of Victory Church,Valletta. Tel. no.: 2122 6919 / 2124 6406 info@orderofmalta-malta.org.mt e Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation present their advertisement print bw.indd 1 21/05/2015 06:38 Minister ramps up pressure on NAO 'investigating' official MIRIAM DALLI THE Minister for Justice wants the National Audit Office to give an assurance that an investigation underway into transfers of land is carried out meticulously. The request appeared on the Facebook page of Justice Minis- ter Owen Bonnici and refers to a probe he had requested into a number of lands and properties transferred between 2006 and 2013. Bonnici, who also sits on parlia- ment's Public Accounts Commit- tee, said he had been "shocked" to see photos on social media, show- ing a NAO official with PN MP Ja- son Azzopardi at a football match. Azzopardi was the minister for lands under the previous admin- istration. The contracts to be investigated by the NAO include the land at Tal-Fekruna in Xemxija, a build- ing in Republic Street passed on to HSBC, a property in Spinola Road, St Julian's and the former brewery in Qormi. "This is not on," the Justice Min- ister commented about the photo. Bonnici insisted that justice "not only must be done; it must also be seen to be done". According to the minister, such action hinders the trust people have in a constitu- tional institution, casting doubts on the works carried out by public officials. "The role of the [NAO] is to scru- tinise the work of any politician and the use of public funds. Our duty is to help increase the trust in constitutional institutions, not undermine it," Bonnici said. "It's only natural that I ask: how will I have the peace of mind that the investigation I requested, which includes Jason Azzopardi's work during his term as minister, will be carried out meticulously?" The photo of Azzopardi and NAO official Antoine Calleja was picked up by the former parlia- mentary secretary for lands, Mi- chael Falzon, who has complained of investigations being "politically motivated". Falzon resigned on the back of an NAO investigation. Following up on Falzon's com- ments, The Malta Independent reported that the NAO had failed to say whether Calleja had been questioned. The NAO was however quoted as saying that it investigates very allegation made about any NAO official, so that the professional- ism and integrity of the work it carries out is safeguarded. The photo uploaded on the social media shows NAO official Antoine Calleja speaking to PN MP Jason Azzopardi Father charged with beating his daughter with a belt and wooden chair A 40-year-old man was remanded in custody after he was charged with beating his nine year-old daughter with a belt and a wooden chair. Prosecuting officer Joseph Busut- til told the court that teachers at the girl's school had originally contact- ed Appogg after noticing her bruis- es. The social welfare agency asked her father – who has sole custody of the girl – to grant his consent for his daughter to undergo a medical examination, but the man refused. As the girl's bruises continued to increase, the police were roped in and arrested the father as he was picking up his daughter from school. The man – whose name cannot be published by court order – had initially refused to cooperate with the police but eventually admitted beating his daughter with a belt and a wooden chair. During the interrogation, he also threatened to "get back" at the school's head, assistant head, his daughter's teacher and learning support assistant, who spoke ill of him. The girl is currently with a foster family after her father agreed to sign a 'voluntary attendance' docu- ment. Inspector Busuttil said that the girl had "challenging behaviour" but that it was not "out of this world", and that her father needed to acquire techniques on how to handle her. He therefore called on the court to issue a treatment order for an- ger management and a protection order in favour of the school's staff. Defence lawyer Mark Fenech Vella argued that his client had not intended to hurt his daughter, who was hyperactive, on medication and difficult to control. "It was an accident; I didn't mean to hurt her with the chair," the fa- ther pleaded from the dock dur- ing the court procedures. "I have brought her up ever since she was a baby." Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciber- ras rejected the defence's request for bail, out of fear of the father tampering with the evidence. Drug addict admits two armed hold-ups of St Julian's grocery store Woman charged with prostitution remanded in custody A St Julian's resident pleaded guilty to carrying out two armed hold-ups from the same grocery store in a span of three days. Armed with an axe, Mark Saviour Borg, 48, had robbed around €600 from the Ma- karas grocery store in St George's Street, St Julian's on 13 May. Only three days later, he returned to the scene of the crime, this time armed with a butcher's knife. How- ever, the shop attendant re- sisted the robber's threats and forced him to f lee empty- handed, leaving the knife be- hind. His face was captured on CCTV footage as he left the shop. A court heard that Borg had admitted the hold-ups on be- ing arrested, and that he had carried out the robberies to fund his drug addiction. Prosecuting Inspector Tre- vor Micallef suggested that Borg be jailed for three and a half years and undertake a drug rehabilitation pro- gramme while in prison. Legal aid Yana Micallef Sta- frace did not request bail for Borg, but highlighted that he had cooperated with the po- lice and pleaded guilty from the start, hence not wasting the court's resources. Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras will be handing down judgement on Monday. A 41-year-old woman from St Paul's Bay has been remand- ed in custody after she was charged with loitering for pros- titution in breach of previous bail conditions. Prosecuting inspector Paula Ciantar told a court that the woman, Sarah Madeleine Caruana, was found loitering in Marsa at around 11:15pm last Sunday. Her defence requested bail, on the grounds that her condition was likely to deteriorate while imprisoned. However, Ciantar argued against it, and instead suggested that the accused at- tend special programmes while in custody.