To add fuel to the fire, Azzopardi has substantiated his argument by proving that a magistrate does not request permission for an extension from anyone as per Article 550A of the Criminal Code.

Instead, the magistrate must provide a report explaining the reason for delay in the cases that a written record is not drawn up within 60 days after a report, information or complaint is received or if the necessary document is not prepared within sixty days after its discovery.

Such a report should be sent to the Attorney General not later than three working days from the lapse of the sixty days and it must provide the reason/s for the delay.

At the end of every month following the first report, the magistrate is required to draw up another report stating the reason for the delay transmitted by the magistrate to the Attorney General.

Meanwhile, Azzopardi is claiming that this was done both by the state and Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg in an attempt to “fabricate” a case against the inquiring magistrate and to “deceive Sofia’s parents and the nation”.

Moreover, Camilleri has also alleged that the extension request is a lie spread by the state to shift the national fervour.

“The inquiring magistrate only responds to the Attorney-General and the inquiring magistrate can only submit the investigation to her and not to the Prime Minister,” Camilleri wrote on his blog.

“Last Saturday, Attorney-General Victoria Buttigieg asked the magistrate to file a notice notifying of a delay in the submission to confirm the investigation meets the requirements of the criminal code. The notice is procedural and there is no extension for no delay.”

“The attorney-general asked the inquiring magistrate to file the notice last Saturday when Robert Abela was in Sicily. The scheme was conjured up thanks to the Minister for Justice, Jonathan Attard who is in direct and regular contact with Buttigieg.”

“The press conference of today by Robert Abela was carefully and meticulously planned to distort the truth and divert people’s anger at the magistrate.”

He concluded by alleging that there is an “orchestrated and complex campaign” designed by the Office of the Prime Minister to ensure damage control. This apparently includes PR consultants and external media hired to aid in the creation of such “fraudulent conspiracies”.

Meanwhile, Azzopardi said that he has “500% reliable information” that the inquiring magistrate did not request an extension.

Similarly to Camilleri, Azzopardi also claimed that Buttigieg requested (and published) the inquiring magistrate to request a notice of delay in submission while calling the affair an “unprecedented attack on the judiciary”.

“Buttigieg lodged a complaint before the inquiring magistrate for the magistrate to write a note that would inform Buttigieg that she was not yet ready with the inquiry.”

She did this, Azzopardi alleged, “so that Buttigieg and the government could claim that the inquiring magistrate requested an extension when she did not.”

The Maltese lawyer further claimed that Buttigieg is aware that the magisterial inquiry is being closed and that it will conclude in only a few more days.

It must be noted that these are allegations that have not yet been independently confirmed.

In fact, Lovin Malta is currently awaiting responses from the Ministry of Justice regarding the claims in question.

Do you think that Azzopardi and Camilleri’s claims are founded?