Vitals Magistrate Refuses To Recuse Herself As Joseph Muscat Threatens To Take ‘All Necessary Steps’
Magistrate Gabriella Vella has refused to recuse herself from presiding over the inquiry on the ongoing hospitals’ concession case.
This comes after Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat called for the magistrate to recuse herself from the case, saying that “the outrageous moves of the past few days made me lose all possible trust I could have in this process”.
Muscat has promptly reacted to the refusal, even threatening to take “all the necessary steps” to ensure that the process will be carried out according to the rule of law.
“I have been informed that Magistrate Gabriella Vella unilaterally decided against the request to recuse herself from continuing presiding over the inquiry on the hospitals’ concessions,” Muscat declared on social media.
“She did so without a hearing since, according to her, the open support by her family members towards those requesting the inquiry and their expressed view on the matters being investigated, do not hamper her impartiality.”
“Unfortunately, this goes against international jurisprudence and the principles aimed at establishing ethical standards amongst the members of the judiciary.”
“The magistrate has been for more than a year ignoring my numerous requests to testify in the case. She has only now considered these requests after the situation escalated in an unacceptable manner.”
“To be clear, I asked Magistrate Vella to relinquish her role because of continuous leaks from the inquiry, the way she ignored my requests to testify, and the opinions expressed by her father and brother on the matter being investigated, which surely have an effect on the way in which the administration of justice is perceived.”
He continued to claim that on issues much less serious than this, members of the judiciary have recused themselves or have been recused.
“I will take all the necessary steps to ensure that the process, in which I have lost almost all trust, does not end up a political theatre as some intend it to be, but rather a process according to the rule of law.”
Muscat has recently faced renewed scrutiny following new revelations linking him to a Swiss firm formerly known as VGH Europe.
The inquiry is examining €60,000 in suspicious Swiss payments received by Muscat – with his home even being searched as part of the ongoing investigation.
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