Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/995828
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 JUNE 2018 5 NEWS A man, already in police custody for theft, has been charged again after police investigations found links to another incident of thievery. Inspector Priscilla Carua- na Lee arraigned Emmanuel Bianchi, 35, from Gzira, before magistrate Ian Vella yesterday. Bianchi was al- ready charged with theft from a car parked in Flori- ana, but during the police investigation, another case emerged and fresh charges were made. Yesterday, Bianchi pleaded not guilty to having stolen a car stereo from a Peugeot parked in Floriana in Oc- tober 2017. He also denied charges of relapsing. Lawyer Benjamin Valen- zia requested bail. However, the prosecution explained that the street address given by the accused did not exist. He also refused to disclose his landlord's name to the police, said the inspector. The defence said that not- withstanding this, there was no fear of him tampering with evidence as the evi- dence is all scientific. The man is also due to start drug rehab in the coming weeks, according to records submitted by the lawyer. The court, however, denied bail and ordered the man be remanded in custody. No bail for alleged car stereo thief MATTHEW VELLA THREE new female mag- istrates could be expect- ed to be appointed by next week, according to sources close to the judi- cial selection process. Rachel Loporto Monte- bello, daughter of retired magistrate Dennis Monte- bello, is expected to be among those sworn in. Until recently, she held the post of chairman of Gozo Heliport Ltd, a public company. She was recently a lawyer in Frendo Montebello Avdocates. Two other lawyers selected for magisterial appointment are Simone Grech, a Gozitan lawyer, and Astrid May Grima, who recently was company secretary for the government property company Malita In- vestments. The appointments, set to be sworn in on Monday, will also be accompanied by three possible promotions of magistrates to judges. These are expected to be Consuelo Scerri Her- rera and Anthony Vella, as previously reported by this newspaper, as well as Grazio Mercieca. Vella is the magistrate lead- ing the inquiry in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and is touted to be made judge in the family court. Grazio Mercieca could be made judge for Gozo, while Scerri Herrera will preside the criminal court. The new posts come weeks after the appointment of Jo- seph Azzopardi as Chief Jus- tice after the retirement of Silvio Camilleri. Recently, Scerri Herrera was elected by her peers in the Court of Magistrates to take one of the two magistrates' posts in the same Commission for the Administration of Jus- tice. Although having already been vetted by the judicial ap- pointments commission, Scerri Herrera was not instantly pro- moted. Anthony Vella's promotion to judge would instantly pre- cipitate the appointment of a new magistrate to take over the investigation of the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, news of which has concerned the journalists' organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Basing its assumptions on claims by Portuguese so- cialist MEP Ana Gomes, RSF has claimed Vella's promotion might prolong and delay pro- gress in the investigation. "It comes at the worst pos- sible time for the case and threatens to delay the investi- gation into Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder even more," RSF secretary-general Chris- tophe Deloire said. Since 2013, the Labour gov- ernment has appointed nine magistrates, two judges, and promoted four magistrates to the judiciary. Grazio Mercieca was ap- pointed magistrate in 2016. Since 2013, the Labour gov- ernment has appointed nine magistrates, two judges, and promoted four magistrates to the judiciary. Three new magistrates, judges set to be sworn in Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera is expected to be made judge in the criminal court