L-Avukat Generali huwa awtonomu fl-operat tieghu / The Office of the Attorney General is autonomous

L-Avukat Generali huwa awtonomu fl-operat tieghu

L-Avukat Generali jaghmel referenza ghall-istqarrija ta’ l-Onorevoli Kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni b’risposta ghall-istqarrija tieghu in konnessjoni mal-kaz ta’ attentat ta’ omicidju volontarju fuq il-persuna ta’ l-Assistent Personali ta’ l-Onoreveli Prim Ministru, s-Sur Ricahrd Cachia Caruana.

L-Onor Kap ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni stqarr li l-Avukat Generali qieghed jippresta ruhu ghal operazzjonijiet politici ta’ l-Onor E Fenech Adami li skond hu bhala Prim Ministru kif ukoll bhala Ministru tal-Gustizzja "jistahba wara l-Avukat Generali".

L-Avukat Generali jfakkar li skond l-artikolu 91(3) tal-Konstituzzjoni hu jezercita l-funzjonijiet tieghu fil-kamp kriminali minghajr indhil minn ebda awtorita’ ohra tkun li tkun. Hu kien dejjem konxju ta’ dan il-provvediment li hu jara mhux bhala privilegg, izda bhala obbligu li jaqdi l-funzjonijiet tieghu b’indipendenza shiha. Dana ghaliex il-prosekuzzjonijiet u l-prosekuturi ghandhom ikunu barra mill-arena politika u ma ghandhomx jintuzaw ghal xi vantagg ta’ interessi partigjani. L-Avukat Generali jidhirlu li ta xhieda ta’ l-integrita’ tieghu f’dan ir-rigward bil-mod kif ezercita l-funzjonijiet tieghu taht amministrazzjonijiet immexxija miz-zewg partiti li kienu fil-gvern.

L-Avukat Generali jiddikjara ghal kull bonfini illi hu hareg l-istqarrija tal-lum minhabba l-preokkupazzjoni serja tieghu dwar il-mod kif spekulazzjoni u kongetturi fil-medja dwar dan il-kaz, jigu minn fejn jigu, kienu qed ikunu ta’ periklu serju ghall-amministrazzjoni retta tal-gustizzja u jista’ jwasslu biss biex jinghata vantagg lil min ma jisthoqqlux.

L-Avukat Generali jiddikjara illi hu ma ikkomunika ma ebda persuna barra minn ufficjali ta’ l-Ufficcju tieghu dwar l-imsemmija stqarrija u li kien biss fl-istess hin u waqt li ghadda l-istqarrija tieghu lill-media li ghadda kopja lill-Onorevoli Prim Ministru u dan sempliciment biex kif jixraq jinformah dwarha.

L-Avukat Generali jiddikjara finalment illi hu kien dejjem riluttanti li jesprimi ruhu pubblikament dwar proceduri li jkunu ghadhom pendenti quddiem il-qrati, kif jista jixhed ghalhekk anke l-agir tieghu fir-rigward ta’ dan il-kaz u li kien biss meta dehrlu li l-interessi ta’ l-amministrazzjoni retta tal-gustizzja kienu hekk jirrikjedu illi hu hassu kostrett li johrog l-istqarrija tieghu.

The Attorney General makes reference to the statement issued by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition in reply to his statement in connection with the case of the attempted wilful homicide of the Personal Assistant to the Honourable Prime Minister Mr Richard Cachia Caruana.

The Honourable Leader of the Opposition stated that the Attorney General allowed himself to be used for the political manoeuvres of the Honourable E Fenech Adami who, according to him, as Prime Minister as well as Minister of Justice "hides behind the person of the Attorney General".

The Atttorney General stresses that according to section 91(3) of the Constitution he exercises his functions in the criminal field free from the direction of any other authority. He was always conscious of this provision which he regards not as a privilege but as an obligation to perform his functions with the greatest independence. This because prosecutions and prosecutors should be kept out of the political arena and should not be used to give any advantage to partisan interest. The Attorney General feels that he has given proof of his integrity in that regard by the way he exercised his functions under administrations led by the two parties that have been in government.

The Attorney General declares for the record that he issued today’s statement because of his serious preoccupation that the speculation and conjecture in the media about this case, whatever their source, were of a serious danger to the proper administration of justice and could result only in giving an advantage to people who did not deserve it.

The Attorney General declares that he did not communicate with anybody other than officers in his Department with regard to his statement and that it was only at the same time when he passed the statement to the media that he passed a copy to the Honourable Prime Minister and this as is proper simply for his information.

The Attorney General finally declares that he was always reluctant to express himself publicly in connection with cases which are still pending before the courts, as is evidenced by his conduct even in this case, and it was only when he considered that the proper administration of justice so required that he felt constrained to issue his statement.