Courts invest in facilities to protect vulnerable witnesses

A Remote Video Conferencing Facility was inaugurated at the Family Court yesterday.

The facility will allow vulnerable individuals, mainly women and children, to testify through video conferencing, in a separate room to where the accused would be.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Governance Edward Zammit Lewis said that such an initiative is of outmost importance in order to protect women and children who are in a vulnerable position.

The facility is currently in use in two courtrooms, but will eventually be extended to others, including in the Magistrate’s Court.

Zammit Lewis said the initiative is an important one because it protects vulnerable witnesses, but it will also maintain the integrity of the whole process.

Such a facility will allow the witnesses to speak more freely as, unfortunately, there are numerous cases where the witness would feel uncomfortable testifying in front of their aggressor, Zammit Lewis said.

Alleged aggressors also have fundamental human rights, and have the right to ask any questions in the presence of a lawyer, he said.

The minister noted that this initiative is being launched the same week in which International Women’s Day will be celebrated. He said that, today there is a better gender balance in the judiciary.

Slightly over 55% - 24 out of 42 judges and magistrates – are women. This means that both males and females have equal opportunities, Zammit Lewis said.

The Minister said the government aims to involve more women in the decision-making processes of the country.