A court sitting involving members of the Pace family, who are facing charges related to alleged usury and money laundering, was disrupted on Thursday after three of the accused and two correctional officers became trapped in a lift at the Valletta law courts.

The group had been on their way to a courtroom when the courthouse's lift ground to a halt, leaving them stranded for more than an hour. The lift in question is the one used only by accused people and suspects in court. 

A court source who spoke to MaltaToday said the incident happened after too many people entered the lift, exceeding the limit. 

On Thursday, evidence from three court-appointed experts was to be heard.

Members of the Civil Protection Department were called to the scene and succeeded in freeing the five occupants from the lift. No injuries were reported.

The court was due to continue hearing evidence in criminal proceedings against six members of the Pace family: Keith Pace, his partner Maria Grixti, his parents Lawrence and Emanuela Pace, and his sons Carlos and Cleaven Pace. All have pleaded not guilty to charges connected with alleged usury and money laundering.

Sources familiar with the matter said lift failures at the Courts of Justice are not unheard of.