Magistrate Marsanne Farrugia has notified the Attorney General that the magisterial inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia will be extended by 30 days, sources have told The Malta Independent.

Jean Paul Sofia, died in Corradino when a building under construction collapsed on 3 December 2022. A magisterial inquiry was launched then, and calls have been mounting for a public inquiry to also be launched.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has called a meeting of the Labour Party Parliamentary Group.

The extension comes despite repeated calls by Prime Minister Robert Abela for the magistrate to conclude her inquiry.  Abela has twice – once in April, and once last week after refusing a motion for the setting up of a public inquiry into Sofia’s death – written to Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti imploring him to see that the magisterial inquiry is closed as soon as possible.

Abela has used the ongoing magisterial inquiry as the justification for refusing to appoint a public inquiry into Sofia’s death.

The government shot down a PN motion for a public inquiry to be set up last week, despite pleas by the family, NGOs, and the support of some 25,000 petitioners – a decision which prompted huge backlash from many parts of society.

Abela has insisted that only a magisterial inquiry can bring true justice for Sofia – who died in a construction collapse last December.

His family however has vowed to keep fighting for a public inquiry to look into the construction industry and the state’s responsibilities as a whole.

A vigil in Sofia’s memory will take place tonight in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Valletta.

Criminal Code

the Criminal Code states: "550A. (1) Where the procès-verbal is not drawn up within sixty days from the report, information or complaint referred to in article546(1) or in article 551(1), or where the "repertus" referred to in article 558(1) is not drawn up within sixty days from the discovery of the document, the magistrate shall draw up a report stating the reason for the delay, and this report shall be transmitted by the magistrate to the Attorney General not later than three working days from the lapse of the sixty days.(2) At the end of every month after the first report shall have been drawn up, the magistrate shall draw up another report stating again the reason for the delay, and every such subsequent report shall be transmitted by the magistrate to the Attorney General not later than three working days from the lapse of the month.