In a case involving a personal dispute between hospital workers at Sir Paul Boffa, Magistrate Joe Mifsud warned against a culture of individuals seeking protection or special treatment from high ranking politicians from both sides of the spectrum.
Reciprocal criminal complaints had been filed – one by a mail health assistant against a female charge nurse, and vice-versa. The man had alleged that the female charge nurse had made his working life "hell", to the extent that she would not even let him leave the hospital facility on his break.
The woman had claimed that the man had intimidated her for reporting him to their superior, that he threatened her, that he was wandering around the halls and intrusively entering into patients' rooms.
She also said that the male hospital assistant had jabbed a finger in her face and swore on his children's lives that should she again report him to their superior, she was "pay" for it. She added that other nurses were feeling uncomfortable by the man wandering the halls and making his presence known in patient rooms.
In turn, he said that the charge nurse had transferred him unfairly, and slandered his good name.
She explained that she did not just fear for herself, but for the hospital workers she was responsible of. It was said that the man would employ intimidation tactics such as standing in a doorway to prevent her from passing through.
"I felt extremely threatened," she said, adding that the man repeatedly swore to get her fired. She told the Magistrate that he said he went to the Office of the Prime Minister in order to have her removed.
This prompted a heated reaction from Magistrate Mifsud, where he shouted "This business of trying to have favours carried out for us by the government of the day, or by any politician has to stop. What is illegal is illegal and no political intervention will protect what is wrong. He can go to OPM, the Leader of the Opposition, to the butterfly party (partit tal-farfett) or the Democratic Party (partit demoktratiku) for all I care! Abuse is abuse and will not be tolerated!"
Magistrate Mifsud then declared in open court that had either of the parties been working for him, or had he been in charge of the hospital, both would have been fired.
"Your duty is to your patients, to treat them with care and love, not to get bogged down in such disputes!"
In his considerations, Magistrate Mifsud noted that none of the witnesses were able to give a precise date or time when the charge nurse had insulted him or slandered him. The courts acquitted her of all charges. The male healthcare assistant on the other hand, for threatening and insulting a public official, was fined a total of €858. He was acquitted of breaching the peace but was bound to a personal guarantee of €1,000 should he confront, threaten or make her fear for female charge nurse's safety.
Inspector Daryl Borg prosecuted.
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2fbyD5Q
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