Five Accused Of Jean Paul Sofia Involuntary Homicide Granted Bail

Jul 24 2023

Five individuals are facing charges of involuntary homicide in connection with the tragic death of 20-year-old worker Jean Paul Sofia, who lost his life during a construction site collapse at the Corradino Industrial Estate in December.

The accused parties include the two developers of the construction project, the project architect, and the two directors of the contracting firm

responsible for the works at the time. Kurt Buhagiar, a 37-year-old from Naxxar, Matthew Schembri, a 38-year-old resident of Birkirkara, Adriana Zammit, a 35-year-old architect from Żabbar, contractor Milomir Jovicevic, a 39-year-old from Serbia, and his wife and company co-director Dijana Jovicevic, a 38-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina, have all entered pleas of not guilty to the criminal charges.

In addition to involuntary homicide, all five are accused of causing severe injuries to five other workers who were present at the site during the building collapse.

Schembri, one of the developers, is facing an additional allegation of falsifying a signature on the project’s commencement notice, a crucial official document required before commencing construction.

Zammit, the architect, also faces a separate charge related to the failure to adhere to industrial practices and standards. Furthermore, Schembri, Buhagiar, and the Jovicevic couple have been charged with various violations of occupational health and safety regulations.

During court proceedings, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras granted bail to all five defendants, despite prosecutors objecting on grounds such as the fear of potential flight from the country and concerns about public outcry.

Defense lawyers criticized the objections, pointing out previous statements from the prosecution regarding the defendants’ likelihood of absconding and asserting that the court should not be influenced by protests or public opinion.

Following a brief deliberation, the magistrate decided to grant bail to all five accused individuals. The case will now move forward to the compilation of evidence stage.

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‘Barbenheimer’ Breaks Cinema Opening Weekend Records

Jul 24 2023

Over the weekend, movies and meme-generative blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” enjoyed tremendous success at the box office, collectively fueling the biggest weekend in the pandemic era and the fourth-largest overall in history.

Despite their very different tones, audiences flocked to see both on the same day, creating a cultural craze known as “Barbenheimer.”

“Barbie”, directed by Greta Gerwig, raked in an impressive $155 million domestically, becoming the highest-grossing debut of the year.

On the other hand, Christopher Nolan’s R-rated historical drama “Oppenheimer” also had a remarkable opening, earning $80.5 million.

“Barbie” was particularly noteworthy for its massive marketing campaign and generated global earnings of over $300 million. Moreover, it broke records as the biggest opening weekend ever for a film directed by a woman.

Meanwhile, “Oppenheimer,” despite being a three-hour-long period piece with little action, surpassed expectations, further cementing Christopher Nolan’s reputation as a box office draw.

Its strong performance was also bolstered by significant support from premium large formats like IMAX, contributing to 47% of the film’s domestic earnings.

Amid the success of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” other movies in theaters struggled to compete. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” and “Sound of Freedom” landed in third and fourth place, respectively, while Disney’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” secured the fifth spot.

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University Canteen CCTV Catches Thief In The Act

Jul 23 2023

Videos and photos sent to this newsroom show a thief breaking and stealing from the University of Malta Campus canteen.

CCTV footage shows the culprit attempting to pry open a cabinet, with photos showing him escaping from the scene of the crime.

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It is currently unclear what or how much was stolen, but authorities have been notified of the crime.

More information as investigations continue.

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Legendary Haddaway Performs In Gozo For Xwejni Music Fest

Jul 23 2023

The legendary singer Haddaway, known for his 1993 hit single ‘What Is Love’, performed at Xwejni Bay, Gozo this past weekend for another successful edition of the Xwejni Music Fest.

Sharing the stage with beloved local artists – including Kurt and Kevin Paul Calleja, Ryan Spiteri, Clint Bajada, Jolene Samhan and Micimago – the International artist was welcomed by a massive audience eager to celebrate and bust some moves.

Taking to social media, Gozo Minister Clint Cmilleri said that the second edition of the festival surpassed all expectations.

‘Festivals of such a level continue to offer value and strengthen the cultural niche in Gozo’, he said, sharing images of the night. With fireworks colouring up the festival even more, the Xwejni Music Fest continues to expand the musical and cultural scene of the Maltese islands.

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