Long-serving public officials unfairly subject to drawn-out proceedings, defence lawyers argue.

Defence lawyers in the Vitals Global Healthcare case have called on the court to intervene after key expert witness Jeremy Harbinson once again failed to attend for cross-examination. They warned that the continued absence is causing unnecessary delays, to the prejudice of all those charged.
The sitting involved former permanent secretaries Alfred Camilleri, Joseph Rapa and Ronald Mizzi, which had been scheduled specifically for Harbinson’s cross-examination. However, instead of proceeding, lawyer Stefano Filletti, representing the accused, requested that the court summon an official from the Courts of Justice to formally present all correspondence sent by Harbinson in recent months, including emails and sworn statements.
Court documents show that Harbinson repeatedly informed the court by email that he no longer regarded himself as engaged as a court-appointed expert and that he was unwilling to give testimony.
Defence lawyer Franco Debono described Harbinson’s conduct as taking the court for a ride, arguing that he was deliberately avoiding court while invoking alleged threats as an excuse.
Debono asked the courts to decide how to proceed in light of the expert’s ongoing refusal to cooperate, stressing that the accused, who are all long-serving public officials, were being unfairly subjected to drawn-out proceedings.
Meanwhile, Harbinson, whose financial analysis underpins the Vitals hospitals case, surrendered his accountancy warrant and liquidated his companies, the court was told.