The magistrates’ court yesterday issued a decree in which it decided that the identification of voices of people recorded from tapped telephone calls in the investigation of the bribery of two judges is admissible and correct.

The identification of the voices had been objected to by the defence of Mario Camilleri. Camilleri is at the centre of the alleged bribery of two judges in a court appeal sitting.

The identification of the voices was made by Police Commissioner John Rizzo, deputy Commissioner Joe Cachia, assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar and superintendent Pierre Calleja. They had identified the voices of Mario Camilleri and his son Pierre in recordings that were presented as crucial evidence in the case.

Dr Franco Debono, who is appearing for Camilleri, said that the evidence given by the officers was not valid because they were merely expressing an opinion. He had said that an expert should have been appointed to examine the evidence.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro, in her decision, took a Meinrad Calleja jury trial as a model whereby a judge had instructed jurors that people did not need special training in identifying voices, especially if they had heard the voice before. Magistrate Lofaro said an appeal had been lodged against the jury decision, but it was later dismissed. The court therefore issued a decree stating that the identification of the voices was indeed valid.