President appoints three new judges

President George Vella has appointed three new judges, following recommendations made to him by the Judicial Appointments Committee.

The President appointed Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras and lawyers Henri Mizzi and Mark Simiana judges in the Superior Courts.

The decision announced on Wednesday comes after the JAC reviewed 17 people who had responded to an expression of interest for three vacancies in the judiciary. The expression of interest was issued by the Justice Minister in July.

The JAC is a constitutional body made up of the Chief Justice, two judges, a magistrate, the Ombudsman and the President of the Chamber of Advocates. Its role is to scrutinise applicants for the Bench and make final recommendations to the President.

The President also published the full list of applicants the JAC said were also suitable for the role of judge. These are Magistrate Charmaine Galea, Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, and lawyers Franca Giordmaina, Jean Paul Grech, Simone Grech and Ann Marie Thake.

Galea Sciberras was appointed magistrate in October 2012 and presided some of the high-profile money laundering inquiries over the past years.

Mizzi is a corporate lawyer and partner in the firm Camilleri Preziosi Advocates. Simiana is a practicing lawyer and in the wake of the building collapse that killed Miriam Pace in Hamrun was appointed a member of the board led by retired judge Lawrence Quintano that analysed building practices and made recommendations to the government.