Murder accomplice claims breach of rights

A man jailed for 30 years in connection with a 1989 murder is claiming that his human rights were breached because he did not have access to a lawyer when his police statement was taken. George Pace, 55, had not been found guilty of the murder of Nazzareno Ebejer at L-Aħrax, limits of Mellieħa but of having been an accomplice.

He had appealed but the conviction was sustained. Lawyer Franco Debono said that the problem of Mr Pace not having a lawyer was compounded by the fact that his client had a very low IQ and was illiterate. Such circumstances had a direct effect on the answers Mr Pace gave to the police when making the statement, Dr Debono said.

The lawyer also noted that his client had appeared in court 15 years after the alleged crime took place.


(2012-06-02/timesofmalta)