Robert Aquilina Pledges To Support Jason Azzopardi Amid Arrest For Allegedly Filming Prime Minister In Maltese Courts
Repubblika activist Robert Aquilina pledged his support of lawyer and former PN MP Jason Azzopardi who was arrested moments ago for allegedly filming Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard in the Valletta courts building.
“If Robert Abela thought he was going to break one of us, he was very mistaken. Now is the moment of unity and determination,” Aquilina wrote on Facebook.
Aquilina said he will be by Azzopardi’s side, supporting him in the court room.
Azzopardi was arrested earlier today for allegedly filming Attard and Abela in conversation last Monday. He will be brought before a magistrate at 2pm wherein the two high-level politicians, as well as court officials, will testify against him.
Abela and Attard were in court last week after the Court of Appeal concluded that the State Advocate can act independently to recover funds in connection with the three hospitals’ concession to Steward and Vitals. The State Advocate has the power but not the duty to do so.
PN-owned NET News posted the footage, saying that this showed the two politicians “trying to formulate a partisan strategy after their court defeat”. It said that this clip was taken just one hour after the court ruling.
It is illegal to take any photos or videos inside the law courts without the permission of the director general of the law courts and chief justice. Anyone caught doing so can be arrested for up to 24 hours, expelled from the court, reprimanded or fined up to €1,164.