The lawyer of a woman who has been charged with perjury while her former husband is still in jail after being found guilty of defiling his daughter has requested that PBS does not allow next week’s Xarabank to deal with the case.

A court on Thursday refused a request by a prisoner jailed for abusing his daughter to be released after his former wife was charged with perjury and being the mind behind their daughter’s testimony.

The Xarabank producers have announced that in next week’s programme they will be discussing the issue on TV, but Dr Martin Fenech, who is the woman’s lawyer, said that would amount to a trial by the media which could cause great harm to his client.

Contacted by The Malta Independent, Dr Fenech said he had requested PBS editor Reno Bugeja not to allow the programme to go ahead, insisting that there is going to be great bias against his client and everything in favour of her former partner.

“Programme presenter Peppi Azzopardi has declared his bias in favour of the man in prison, so how can I expect the programme to be balanced?” Dr Fenech said. With the programme, Xarabank is trying to influence judicial proceedings, he said.

Justice should be allowed to take its course and such delicate matters should not be tried on TV, he said. “It is grossly unfair on my client,” he added.

Dr Fenech, who incidentally is also a member on the PBS editorial board, said that he has asked not to be present if the board will be discussing the matter because of an evident conflict of interest. His being a member on the board should however not translate into a disadvantage to his client, he said.

Asked whether he has been invited to take part in the programme, Dr Fenech said that the programme should not be broadcast in the first place. He said that he has been told PBS will be waiting for the constitutional court to give its ruling before making a decision.

Efforts to speak to Peppi Azzopardi have so far been fruitless. The Malta Independent has been directed to send written questions about the situation to Dr Edward Gatt. It is not known if Dr Gatt is representing PBS, WE Media or Mr Azzopardi.

A spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for PBS, told The Malta Independent that Dr Fenech had exerted great pressure on Mr Bugeja and Mr Azzopardi for the programme to be withdrawn, going as far as "threatening" the presenter.

Xarabank are also organising an online petition calling for the immediate release of the man.