The Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday said that it would not be contesting the expert opinions expressed by psychiatrists on the defendant in the Baron Francis Sant Cassia murder case.

Carmelo Camilleri, 68, is indicted for the murder of Baron Sant Cassia in 1988, who was shot dead outside his home Castello Zammitello in Mgarr.  He was charged in 2006 and has been out on bail and awaiting trial ever since. 

Camilleri is now wheelchair-bound and cannot hold a simple conversation owing to severe cognitive impairment caused by a neurodegenerative condition.

Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg was meant to testify on Wednesday on why her office was insisting on pressing forward with the trial.

The Attorney General is also refusing to issue a nolle prosequi - an order not to prosecute - despite the court having heard several psychiatrists testify that Camilleri was unable to testify due to his medical situation.

However, when the sitting began, lawyer Kevin Valletta from the Attorney General's office informed the court that Buttigieg had other commitments involving a foreign delegation and was unable to attend Court.

Defence lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta pointed out that several psychiatrists had already established that the accused could not answer to the charges and neither could he communicate with his lawyers.

The Attorney General's Office informed the court that it would not contest the expert opinions expressed by the psychiatrists.

The judge adjourned the case to July 4 for submissions and give a final decision on whether the trial would commence and if so, when.

Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera is hearing the case.