Not everyone derives pleasure from another person's misfortune. Not even when we are directly impacted by that person's shameless behaviour that sneers at integrity and trust. Not even when we are seething with anger and resentment at the way impunity has bred an arrogance that makes our stomachs churn.

That same impunity that gives us the feeling that living is much harder for those who obey the law, than for the criminals who abuse it.

Nevertheless, the news that eleven men and women were arraigned in court one Saturday evening and charged with serious financial crimes caused shock and deep sadness among the citizens of this tiny island state.

It was almost unbelievable. The names of some of the persons arraigned in court had been repeatedly associated with alleged corruption for what seems like forever. Indeed, they had become notorious household names. Many people, including the enthusiastic apologists, are morally convinced that alleged corruption did happen. Many too had given up hope that justice would actually be delivered within a reasonable time.

But then, by that fateful Saturday evening, those household names stood sheepishly in the dock at the law court flanked by police officers. One by one they faced a combination of serious charges. Some were weeping. Perhaps it dawned that they had reached the end of the line and the fear that they would be remanded in custody suddenly became very real. Because nobody was willing to cover their backs any longer.

When the rule of law is not respected, impunity dominates the political scene, boundaries are blurred and rules are broken because the Establishment would close ranks around perpetrators who feel safe in the knowledge that they would be protected from any threat of prosecution.

One of those household names who is often described as the real power behind the throne was the former prime minister’s chief of staff. He, like all the persons indicted, denies any wrongdoing.

No matter how perfectly the road map for a successful venture has been planned, the element of human error should not be disregarded. For often enough it is the reason why perpetrators of crime find themselves behind bars. More so, a road map that was allegedly drawn up to use public money as a means for the personal enrichment of a handful of private individuals.

Strong suspicions and implied allegations of wrongdoing had often been raised in connection with some of the group of people arraigned and charged, but it seems that they fell on the deaf years of a rather sluggish police force that has suddenly emerged from its slumbers with the new energy and enthusiasm required to revisit the reports that their former colleagues had slept soundly upon.

So now, where do we go from here. Should the current state of affairs reconcile us to living in a country where the tentacles of the mafia have got many people by the short and curries? Or is it time that we stand up and be counted and start doing our damnedest to get ourselves out from under the mob’s oppressive thumb. Malta's reputation has already been thrown to the dogs. Must we put up with more financial shenanigans?

It is not up to us to judge who is right and who is wrong, who is innocent and who is guilty. Under Maltese law, all perpetrators of crime shall be presumed innocent until they are proved guilty. Of course, we are entitled to our opinion but in the overall scheme of things, it is the facts and the evidence that carry weight. Anything else would be considered to be speculative or irrelevant.

From the outset, we were told many lies that since then have come to be accepted as truth. One can add that the persons indicted have had a dubious relationship with the truth. And as ongoing investigations dig deeper, we may find that the uncomfortable truth lies not far below the surface and people with an independent mind will think things out for themselves, without having to follow the nearest crowd like sheep.

For the eleven persons indicted for serious financial crimes, the prospect of spending a good number of years behind bars is frightening indeed. In moments like this the schadenfreude is indecent. For we are not seeking revenge, only justice. This should be the time when the truth will out, sooner rather than later.

Living in hell by choosing to remain silent is a frightening prospect too and it will weigh heavily on a conscience that knows no other way of dealing with the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Those eleven persons may find some consolation in the following words, if only they had the courage: “And truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) Veritas vos liberabit.