Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers have filed a judicial protest demanding that the Police Commissioner investigate parte civile lawyer Jason Azzopardi and journalist Manuel Delia over claims that they attempted to intimidate Judge Giovanni Grixti during a recent bail request. 

Grixti presided over a bail hearing in which lawyers for Fenech made their case for him to be released on bail. 

At the end of the sitting, the judge said he would be handing down a decree from his chambers with many wondering whether bail could be granted, given that the Attorney General had filed a Bill of Indictment against Fenech before the sitting began. 

As the nation waited for the judge’s decision, it was revealed by Matthew Caruana Galizia, son of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, that Grixti had once bought a boat from Fenech’s late father, George. 

Shortly after, Grixti handed down his decree, denying Fenech bail over fears that he would attempt to escape the country if released from prison. 

The lawyers argue that Azzopardi and Delia attempted to “influence the decision on bail”, noting that the former even wrote to the Chief Justice about the matter. 

They say the pair are in breach of Article 93 of Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta, which states that anyone who “reviles or threatens” a judge or Attorney General in the exercise of their duties should be liable to a prison term and a fine

They also claim that the reports breached Fenech’s right to a fair hearing.

Lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran, Charles Mercieca and Marion Camilleri signed the judicial protest.