The former IM boss Frederick Azzopardi clarified on the works of Wied Qirda
The former head of Infrastructure Malta, Frederick Azzopardi, was acquitted of criminal charges related to works in Wied Qirda in Żebbuġ.
He had been charged with it violates environmental protection laws during his time in charge of the road works agency.
The case goes to 2019 when the workers of Infrastructure Malta they challenged a stay and a compliance order issued by the Environment and Resources Authority on illegal works in the Qirda Valley in Zebbug.
Protected plants and trees were uprooted and habitats in the sensitive ecological zone destroyed due to the road agency’s decision to strengthen a road leading to a private residence in the rural area.
In January 2020, activists and campaigners sent the police legal lettersought an investigation into Azzopardi for his role in allowing the works to continue.
Despite ERA officials affixing legally binding stop orders to the machinery at the site, the road works agency workers had simply removed them and continued to work in the valley.
ERA officials had gone to the site and ordered them to respect the enforcement notice, but the workers ignored the requests, and the police were called.
Magistrate Rachel Montebello read the conclusion of the sentence, which has not yet been made available.
Last month, defense and prosecution argued extra prescription as proceedings, which had been interrupted when magistrate Elaine Mercieca abstained in September, continued.
Mercieca had abstained because she had decided a case against the contractor commissioned by Infrastructure Malta to take care of the works. The contractor, Anthony Camilleri, was fined €36,000 for ignoring a stop and compliance notice.
In that case, it emerged that the contractor was following instructions from Azzopardi.
Independent journalism costs money. Times of Malta support for price of a coffee.
Support us