Chris Said reappointed parliamentary secretary

The Gozo MP was sworn in by the Acting Attorney General Dr. Donatella Frendo Dimech in the presence of President George Abela, and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

As was widely expected, Chris Said was reappointed to office after the Police and the Attorney General did not file for an appeal that would have seen them contest the Magistrate’s decision to acquit the former Parliamentary Secretary.

However, a police spokesman told MaltaToday that filing an appeal on a one charge acquittal, and the first court delivered the judgement, “leaving no reasonable doubt that no crime was committed,” would have made the appeal frivolous.

According to senior police sources, the decision was not taken entirely by the police, but has acted on advice given by the Attorney General.

Chris Said’s acquittal had paved the way for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to reconsider re-appointing him to the post of Parliamentary Secretary, which he had resigned from on September 23, when a court presided by Mr. Justice Michael Mallia had upheld a challenge made by Anthony Xuereb of Gozo who contested Chris Said’s testimony during a child custody case, and ordered the Police Commissioner to prosecute the politician.

On submitting his resignation, the Prime Minister had written back to Chris Said auguring to reinstate him as Parliamentary Secretary.

When Said was acquitted last week, the Prime Minister said that he was awaiting the outcome of the appeal to take a final decision.