Repubblika to take its magistrate recusal case to European Court

A court has rejected the NGO’s appeal against the constitutional court’s decision to allow Magistrate Nadine Lia to continue to hear its challenge proceedings.

Repubblika filed a case against the police commissioner over the lack of prosecution against numerous Pilatus bank officials.

When this case was assigned to Magistrate Lia, Repubblika requested her recusal due to her family ties to Pawlu Lia, her father-in-law.

Pawlu Lia was the lawyer of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his chief-of-staff Keith Schembri, and drafted the terms of reference for the Egrant inquiry.

Repubblika’s appeal has been turned down by a court, which concluded that the NGO could not claim that its rights were breached by having Lia preside over the case.

The civil society group said it would be escalating the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.