We have said it before, and we will say it again: Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg is out of her depth and must go, now.

In the latest of a long serious of failures by the office she leads (as well as by the police), it emerged yesterday that a former Pilatus Bank official was allowed to leave the country despite being the subject of an arrest warrant.

The news was revealed by rule of law NGO Repubblika, which said that Mehmet Tazli, the bank’s former operations supervisor, was allowed to leave the country despite the fact that a magistrate had ordered his arrest months before.

In fact, the NGO said, the magistrate had ordered the arrest in March 2021, and Tazli was in Malta in October of the same year, when he actually testified in court.

Finding and bringing to Malta a wanted person while they are living abroad, especially in some uncooperative jurisdiction, would undoubtedly prove difficult. But how hard can it be to arrest a wanted person when they present themselves at the courts of law to give evidence?

Like we said, this is just the latest in a string of serious shortcomings by the Attorney General, whose appointment was controversial from the very start. In fact, the Chamber of Advocates had said back then it was “perplexed” at the fact that someone with little to no experience in criminal prosecutions was appointed to the post.

We must keep in mind that Buttigieg replaced Peter Grech, who was also consistently criticised for failing to prosecute high-profile politicians who were linked to corruption and crime. So, the expectations for the new Attorney General were higher than ever. Yet it seems that Victoria Buttigieg is another Peter Grech, and nothing has changed in this regard. The farce goes on.

Among the other shortcomings by her office is the deal reached with one of the men involved in a violent shootout with police during the 2010 failed HSBC heist. Darren Debono ‘it-Topo’ saw his attempted homicide charge dropped in exchange for a guilty plea. The move angered many, including Repubblika, the Malta Police Association and the Opposition, all of whom called for her resignation.

Just a few weeks back, two lawyers who had been charged with trying to bribe a journalist were let off the hook over a procedural ‘mistake’ carried out by the AG’s office.

It is safe to say that the Attorney General does not enjoy the confidence and respect that someone in her role needs to command. It is clear that, despite the appointment of a different person, nothing much has changed, and criminals and corrupt politicians still roam free. It is now even more doubtful whether these will ever face justice.

On Sunday, this newsroom ran an article about the progress on the recommendations of the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, which include the continuation of investigations into murders and corruption, and the strengthening of the institutions and the rule of law.

Progress has been made in certain areas but clearly, the Office of the Attorney General remains one of the weak links.

And it will remain so until someone who is fit for the job is placed at its helm.