Suspended jail sentence and €93,174.94 fine for illegal extension of quarry in Kercem - The Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano in a Court of Appeal sitting, confirmed the judgment of the Court of Magistrates (Gozo) and fined Mr. Carmel Cauchi and Mr. Michael Cauchi €93,174.94 and handed them both out a six months jail sentence suspended for one year, for breaching an enforcement notice issued by the Malta Planning & Environment Authority (MEPA).

The case relates to the illegal extension and of a soft stone quarry in the area known as Habel Lazz and the dumping of construction material without the necessary MEPA permits. Subsequently the Authority had issued a stop and enforcement notice ECF 00463/98, requesting the quarry owners to stop illegal works and return the sites to their original state. The accused had tried applying to sanction works but the Authority dismissed this application.

Since subsequent to the issuance of the enforcement notice the quarry owner had continued to operate the quarry illegally, criminal proceedings were also initiated by the Authority against the quarry owner, for breaching the enforcement notice. The Court of Magistrates had subsequently ruled that the accused had in fact breached the enforcement notice

€15,139.80 fine for illegal development in Cittadella - In another case in Gozo, the Court of Magistrates presided by Magistrate Giovanni Grixti, found Ricardo Zammit guilty of having carried out illegal excavation works and the construction of a wine cellar within a scheduled property without a MEPA permit. The property which is situated in the Cittadella, Victoria was served with an enforcement notice in 1998. Magistrate Grixti condemned Mr. Ricardo Zammit to pay a fine of €15,139.80 for having failed to comply with the enforcement notice.