MALTA
Times of Malta
Godwin Scerri, the defrocked priest, who the Courts jailed five years after they found him guilty of abusing boys in his care, should also be found guilty of rape, Philip Galea Farrugia, for the Attorney General, insisted this morning.
Making submissions in the AG’s appeal against the Magistrate’s decision to acquit Mr Scerri of rape, Dr Galea Farrugia said there was no real contestation that the rape took place.
Mr Scerri was cleared of the rape charge only because it had happened in one place when the charge sheet listed that it happened at another.
Lawyer Patrick Valentino, who is appearing for the victims, asked Mr Justice David Scicluna for the case to be heard rather quickly because the victims already had to wait a long time for justice in the Magistrates Court. There were 77 sittings, with the prosecution closing its case after seven. Twenty-seven of the other sittings were deferments at the request of the defence team.
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