Yorgen Fenech's lawyers request direct, unmonitored line to their client
Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers requested a direct, unmonitored line to be able to communicate with their client, currently behind bars under preventive arrest while facing prosecution as an alleged accomplice in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
But that request was turned down earlier this week by the court, presiding over the compilation of evidence.
The request cropped up after one of Fenech’s lawyers reported an incident with the prison director.
Charles Mercieca had sought recourse before the court after prison director Alex Dalli had stopped him from taking along documents to jail, during a meeting with Fenech to prepare for next day’s hearing in court.
That incident had abruptly broken up the client-lawyer meeting and Mercieca subsequently filed a complaint with the Chamber of Advocates, claiming that the director’s attitude negatively impinged upon his duties as a lawyer.
Fenech’s legal team then asked for a direct line with their client, that was not recorded or intercepted.
However, that request was thrown out by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, presiding over the murder compilation, observing that such a request breached prison regulations that expressly stated that all...