[WATCH] Magistrate concludes Jean Paul Sofia inquiry

A magisterial inquiry into the Kordin construction collapse that claimed the life of 19-year-old Jean Paul Sofia has been concluded and passed on to the Attorney General.

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced at Castille that he would be asking the AG to make the report public, so that it can be published for the general public to read.

The inquiry was concluded in the wake of a controversial refusal by Abela and the entire Labour parliamentary group

Abela said that it was his opinion that after the magisterial inquiry was concluded, the authorities would move according to its recommendations, with any remaining investigations being actioned by a public inquiry.

“Our call is for justice to be served,” Abela said, who however said he previously had not wanted the public inquiry to interfere with the ongoing magisterial inquiry. “As we can see, the accused in another involuntary homicide case have tried staying their criminal proceedings by using the announced public inquiry as an excuse,” he said, referring to the contractor facing charges in the Miriam Pace housing collapse death.

Prime Minister Robert Abela addressing the media at Castille on Friday afternoon (Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

Abela said the inquiring magistrate had taken just over eight months to complete the inquiry into the Kordin incident.

He denied knowing that the magisterial inquiry was about to be concluded or ready when the Nationalist Party this week accused Abela of misrepresenting the magistrate’s monthly notification to the AG when extending the inquiry process by 30 days.

The development comes almost eight months after Sofia was killed in a factory collapse at the Corradino Industrial Estate. The building was still under construction and five other workers had been seriously injured.

Farrugia was under intense criticism from Prime Minister Robert Abela for having taken so long to conclude the inquiry.

Only last Monday, Abela announced the setting up of a public inquiry, citing the magistrate’s delay as reason for his U-turn on the matter.

The Prime Minister had been opposed to a public inquiry, insisting that it was the magisterial inquiry that would deliver justice.