Family members and the lawyer of Nicolette Ghirxi have called for an independent inquiry ‘to establish the facts leading to her tragic death’
Nicolette Ghirxi’s family and lawyer call for inquiry into state’s failings
Lawyer Joseph Borda urged Prime Minister Robert Abela and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri to initiate an inquiry “similar to the one that was opened following the murder of Bernice Cassar in November 2022”.
The inquiry into the murder of Bernice Cassar was intended to determine whether the authorities were – or should have been – aware that Cassar’s life was in danger.
It was also launched in order to independently establish if there were any failings in implementing domestic violence law.
“This is the only way we can identify the state’s failings and how it failed Nicolette”, Borda said in a statement to the media.
Earlier on Monday, the lawyer told NEWZ.mt there would be “more to come out”.
Indications of police failings
Last week, the lawyer and friend of Malta’s latest femicide victim published an email exchange between Ghirxi’s murderer, Edward Johnston, and the police.
He said Nicolette Ghirxi could still be alive if the police had done their job instead of allowing her murderer to mock them.
In an exclusive report on Monday morning, NEWZ.mt revealed what a source presented as an internal note allegedly part of a police file, which advised no further action should be taken on ‘Kummidjant’ Johnston.
Last Monday morning at 2am, Nicolette Ghirxi was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Swatar, Birkirkara.
Her ex-partner Edward Johnston, who had been harassing her and mocking the police for months, was later shot dead by police after a three-hour stand off in St Julian’s.
