In exclusive comments to The Malta Independent this evening, Magistrate Carol Peralta stressed that he did not resign from the bench but instead he has taken early retirement.

Peralta’s letter to The President makes it perfectly clear that he has retired but a statement from the Justice Ministry said that he had resigned.

In his letter, Dr Peralta cited numerous disappointments and disillusions at local level, "while satisfactorily looking back at the numerous international legal posts he held in other countries and international institutions," as his reason.

The former Magistrate, in his letter,  said that this decision followed deep and tranquil reflection.

The former Magistrate wanted to hand in his letter personally to the President, however was informed that he was unable to by members of the President's staff.

He thanked the President for the trust placed in him.

The former Magistrate, aged 63, resigned just two years prior to reaching retirement age.

He was involved in a controversy back in 2013, When he held a Christmas party in his court room. He had also ordered the arrest of a reporter who took photos of the event.

In 1990, then MP Wenzu Mintoff presented an impeachment motion against Dr Peralta when he was a Magistrate in Gozo. In 1994, Eddie Fenech Adami had presented another motion, however the Council for the Administration for Justice said there were no grounds to proceed.

He was appointed as a Magistrate in 1990 and in 2003, assigned to the UN Interim Mission in Kosovo.

He also held the position of Chief International Judge of Kosovo, responsible for managing the international justice programme.

In January 2008, Dr Peralta joined the State Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina as an international judge with first instance jurisdiction over war crimes and organised crime. In September 2010, he was elevated to the Appeals Chamber of the same court.

He returned to the Maltese courts in 2012

Resignation letter