On Tuesday, a man named Simon Cutajar was charged under summons after making a comment on Facebook that caught the attention of Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, leading to a report being filed with the police. 

Cutajar’s comment stated that “one can expect a car bomb” associated with the Labour Party. 

The comment was posted in response to a talk.mt report about a news conference held by Schembri, where he criticised the PN’s proposals for the business community.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Cutajar had privately apologised before the hearing, with his lawyer, Ishmael Psaila, explaining that his client had never intended any harm. In open court, Cutajar admitted to the charges and reiterated his apologies.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi, considered the accused’s early admission and multiple apologies. However, parte civile lawyer Maurice Meli argued that such behaviour was unacceptable, emphasising that the incident had negatively impacted Minister Schembri and his family.

Minister Schembri, who participated in the court session via video link, briefly commented that the comment was made in the context of the previous year’s general elections. He asserted that everyone has the right to perform their duties without feeling threatened.

Taking into account Cutajar’s early admission and repeated apologies, the court imposed a fine of €50, which will be recorded in the accused’s criminal record. Lawyer Stefano Filletti also provided assistance to the parte civile during the proceedings.

#MaltaDaily