Magistrate Nadine Lia has an interest in her father-in-law's financial wealth, an NGO argued in court on Monday as it continued in its legal bid to have her removed from a case it filed concerning Pilatus Bank. Republikka is arguing that Lia's husband and children stand to inherit wealth from lawyer Pawlu Lia - her husband's father - and that therefore she has a conflict of interest that precludes her from hearing a case that could be damaging to some of his leading clients. The NGO believes that the magistrate has a clear conflict of interest in presiding over those challenge proceedings, given that lawyer Pawlu Lia, who acted as lawyer for former prime minister Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle, as well as former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, is her father-in-law. Lia was also the lawyer who set the terms of reference for the 2017 Egrant inquiry, which Pilatus Bank featured prominently in. The magistrate’s ties to the senior lawyer give rise to a conflict of interest, argued Repubblika, requesting her recusal. However, the magistrate has turned down multiple requests to that effect, finally prompting the NGO to file proceedings before the First Hall, Civil Court in...
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