Nationwide search ordered for pair who keep avoiding summons

A frustrated court has ordered a nationwide search for two persons accused of threatening the mayor of St Paul’s Bay and the local council’s secretary.

The incident took place in 2015, however the court has been forced to postpone a grand total of nine hearings after the police failed to locate Carmel and Josephine Dimech, 58 and 55 respectively, from Żebbug, and issue them a court summons.

The police have attempted to locate the pair at their registered address, their place of work as well as their son’s home. Magistrate Joe Mifsud, presiding over the case, issued an official search for the pair after expressing outrage in court.

The case can be traced back to a meeting inside a lawyer’s office in Valletta, during which the Dimechs are said to have seriously threatened and insulted Mayor Graziella Galea and acting secretary Paul Gatt. This led to the latter to feel afraid that the former would use violence against them.

Yesterday morning, when court marshals called upon the involved parties to enter the court room so that the sitting may begin, prosecuting inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee informed Magistrate Mifsud that they were unable to locate the pair.

The court considered the charges to be very serious, adding that intimidation and threats could never be used against anyone, more so against those who are providing a service to the country.

Lightening up the mood, the Magistrate said that as far as he was aware, the Dimechs are not ISIS members with complicated hiding places, and ordered a nationwide search. Taking things a step further, Magistrate Mifsud also said he would not allow police shortcomings for the case to be timebarred [meaning that the couple would not be tried as too many years had gone by], he declared that action would be taken against the Commissioner of Police should the individuals escape criminal proceedings.

Lawyer Sara Pirotta Chirchop Bech is appearing parte civile for the victims.