Ombudsman writes to the President: Farrugia Sacco should be relieved from his duties until case is resolved

The Ombudsman, Joseph Said Pullicino has written to the President expressing his concerns over the allegations made against Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco by the International Olympic Committee. In his letter, Dr Said Pullicino, a former Chief Justice, told President Abela in his capacity as head of the Commission for the Administration of Justice that the commission should use its moral authority to ensure the judge allegedly involved in this scandal is immediately relieved from attending to his judicial duties. This should be until the charges levelled against him are finally determined in full respect of his constitutional rights, including that of the presumption of innocence. In his letter, the Ombudsman wrote: "The news that a Judge of the Superior Courts has been implicated by an international sporting authority in a case of corruption has shocked me as indeed also our nation. The news in itself, irrespective of any judgement as regards guilt or otherwise, severely undermines trust in the Administration of Justice. "Article 12 of Act XXI of 1995 precludes me as Parliamentary Ombudsman, to express an opinion on the Judiciary and consequently on the behaviour of members of...