Questionnaire Malta
I.11 In which cases?
Theoretically, the public prosecutor may be
involved in the police investigation process from its commencement. In practice
this practise is only utilised with regards to cases raising public alarm
and/or outcry more than is customary with criminal investigations. Public alarm
and/or outcry which is generally, though not necessarily, related either to the
persons who allegedly have committed the offences or due to the nature of the
alleged offence or both. Nevertheless, the police upon charging an individual
for having allegedly breached a particular provision of the law have a right to
request legal assistance. In practice, whenever the need arises for the police
to be assisted by a lawyer before the inferior courts, the assistance of public
prosecutors from the Office of the Attorney General is requested.
