Abela criticised for backing official charged in fatal site collapse

Prime Minister Robert Abela has come under renewed criticism after defending the reinstatement of a senior Lands Authority official facing criminal charges in connection with the death of 20-year-old Jean Paul Sofia, who was killed in a building collapse in December 2022.

Kurt Buhagiar, one of five men charged with involuntary homicide and other offences linked to the incident, was allowed to resume his duties at the Lands Authority earlier this month

Asked about the decision, Abela responded bluntly: “He is now going to work and carrying out the duties he is paid to do.” The comment has been criticised by campaigners and bereaved relatives as dismissive and lacking in moral responsibility.

Carmel Asciak, executive member of the political party Momentum, described the Prime Minister’s stance as “morally bankrupt” and “an insult to the Maltese people”.

“Let’s be clear: this is not about guilt or innocence — that’s for the courts,” Asciak said. “This is about basic ethics, respect, and public trust. A person facing serious criminal charges over a fatal construction collapse should not be representing a public authority, collecting taxpayer money, and ‘getting on with the job’ as if nothing happened.”

Jean Paul Sofia died when a building under construction collapsed in Kordin. His death prompted national outrage and calls for greater accountability within Malta’s construction sector, long criticised for lax regulation and weak enforcement.

After months of public pressure, including from Sofia’s mother, Isabelle Bonnici, the government eventually agreed to a public inquiry, which concluded earlier this year.

The inquiry strongly criticised state authorities for failing to uphold their regulatory responsibilities — findings that Momentum and others say make Buhagiar’s reinstatement, revealed by The Shift, even more indefensible.

“This decision, and the Prime Minister’s defence of it, spit in the face of the inquiry’s findings,” Asciak said. “It mocks the memory of Jean Paul Sofia and betrays the mother who had to fight for the truth.”

Momentum has called for Buhagiar’s immediate suspension pending the outcome of legal proceedings, arguing that public officials must be held to higher standards, particularly when implicated in cases involving loss of life.

“Malta deserves leaders who understand the weight of public office, who uphold standards and who value life over political convenience,” Asciak added. “Robert Abela has shown us, once again, that he is not that kind of leader.”