Appeals Court Rejects Jason Azzopardi’s Request For Silvio Schembri Inquiry

A Court of Appeal has dismissed Jason Azzoparid’s attempt to open a magisterial inquiry into Economy Minister Silvio Schembri over alleged unexplained wealth.

Azzopardi had appealed Magistrate Antoine Mifsud Bonnici’s decision to reject this request, but Judge Neville Camilleri has now confirmed the first court’s original decision.

In his request for a magisterial inquiry, Azzopardi brought forward several articles that were published by The Shift News without a byline.

However, Schembri presented a signed declaration by journalist Ivan Camilleri, confirming that he was the author of those articles and that he was satisfied with the minister’s explanation.

Judge Camilleri ruled today that while it is perfectly acceptable to request a magisterial inquiry on the basis of media reports, these particular reports hadn’t linked Schembri to the alleged crimes mentioned by Azzopardi and had at best flagged poor administration of public assets.

“For the second time, the courts have confirmed that the allegations against my family and I were nothing but mudslinging and baseless attacks,” Schembri said.

“The judge clearly ruled that Jason Azzopardi’s request didn’t prove or even declare that I committed a crime. In fact, it confirmed that there was no indication that I laundered money, received some sort of gift or traded in influence.”