Updated | Retired judge heads inquiry into child abduction blunder

The social policy ministry has announced that judge emeritus Philip Sciberras will be holding an immediate inquiry into the handling of the 'child abduction' case by social welfare agency Appogg.

Minister Michael Farrugia said that following statements made by Magistrate Joanne Vella Cuschieri in court on the case, he had informed FSWS chief executive Alfred Grixti that an independent inquiry would take place into the matter, apart from the police investigation underway.

"Judge Sciberras will have open and unlimited access to information and details that he needs to arrive at his independent conclusion," Farrugia said.

Ealier today, the Opposition called on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to initiate an independent investigation into the abduction of two German children from Malta.

The Nationalist Party said social policy minister Michael Farrugia, under whose remit falls national social welfare agency Appoġġ, is insisting that no investigation takes place.

“This is a grave case, and the responsibility must be carried entirely: Farrugia cannot sweep this case under the carpet.”

Magistrate Joanne Vella Cuschieri slammed Appoġġ over its handling of the German children who were secretly flown out of Malta two weeks ago, saying the agency had shown it was “less able” to take care of the children than the mothers themselves.

Vella Cuschieri made the statement in a Gozo court when revoking a temporary order placed on a third German child who is still in Malta, ordering Appoġġ to return her to her mother. The request for a decree was filed by German mothers Sabrina Albrecht and Jutta Wiedekind, asking for their children to be returned to them.

“Unfortunately, this could be the result of Muscat’s political appointments: Appoġġ has never been placed under such a dark shadow as today. It was only in the last months that the Foundation for Social Welfare Services was put under the control of a politician, someone without expertise in this matter,” the PN said, in a reference to FSWS chief executive Alfred Grixti.

“The child’s interest should come first in this case, something that evidently did not  happen. An independent investigation must take place to establish what happened.”

The Gozitan police had found a group of German children and their mothers, who were allegedly reported missing by their estranged partners in Germany.  The mothers had been hosted by a married couple, all of them German, who were living in an apartment in Marsalforn.

The German couple hosting the women were reported to have said denied having committed anything illegal, and that they were hosting the women as part of a charity for battered mothers in Germany.

The FSWS later launched an investigation after two of the children were secretly flown out of Malta even though they were under a care order. The two brothers – aged four and two – were being cared for by the two German social workers after their mother, Sabrina Albrecht, 30 was charged with abandoning her elder son.

Last week, the two German social workers informed their Maltese counterparts that they were taking the children swimming. However the two brothers were instead taken to the airport and flown to Germany. The Foundation for Social Welfare Services ordered an investigation which also involves the police.

The social workers said they acted on a decision by a German court on July 4 ordering the children to be returned home. However, the Maltese authorities are arguing that the Germans had literally abducted the children who were under a care order imposed by a Maltese court.