Valetta, Malta - A French couple facing extradition proceedings wants to get married under police escort, with their defence counsel serving as best man and the prosecutor light-heartedly offering to be flower girl.
The request was made yesterday by lawyer Emmy Bezzina on behalf of his clients Alain Schmitt, 40, and his 47-year-old girlfriend, Laurence Liegeois.
Dr Bezzina asked the court's permission for the marriage to take place and Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna said he would decide on the request on Monday.
He said he would be best man and, in a light-hearted manner, lawyer Donatella Frendo Dimech, from the Attorney General's Office, offered to be the flower girl.
Mr Schmitt and Ms Liegeois are wanted by the French authorities for allegedly escaping from custody following their conviction for torture and kidnapping two years ago.
Mr Schmitt, leader of a French sect, claimed he had a large wound on his foot, the result of severe diabetes, and that if he was not treated by Ms Liegeois, he might die.
However, court-appointed doctor Mario Scerri said the large wound was just a bunion and that there was nothing unusual about Mr Schmitt's diabetes.
As the court sitting began, Dr Bezzina said Mr Schmitt was disorientated, was not in a healthy state to be in court and needed his special glasses and a magnifying glass to be able to see.
Dr Scerri said that when he examined Mr Schmitt, he was coherent and balanced and knew what was going on around him. He also admitted to trying to commit suicide by taking an overdose of insulin and going on a hunger strike shortly after his arrest last week.
Under cross-examination, Dr Scerri said that after the admission about the suicide attempt he would not allow Mr Schmitt to be alone in his cell with either insulin or glass items.
Dr Scerri added that, although Mr Schmitt's diabetes was not adequately controlled, he was given insulin regularly. Diabetes depended on other factors such as exercise and diet and it would be favourable for Mr Schmitt to do some exercise.
However, Dr Scerri said that Mr Schmitt was not maltreated and was kept at Mount Carmel Hospital because he expressed the wish to die.
While questioning the witness, Dr Bezzina claimed that medics at Mount Carmel had on three occasions forgotten to give Mr Schmitt insulin. But Dr Scerri dismissed this, saying he had seen the medical history and saw no irregularities.
Towards the end of the sitting, Dr Bezzina argued that his clients had never been convicted, adding that they were not in the French court when the verdict was given.
However, Dr Frendo Dimech insisted that the documentation on the European Arrest Warrant issued in relation to the couple was clear that they had been convicted.
At this point, Dr Bezzina said it was not the case and that the whole issue was prompted by the "obsession" of the French government with sects.
Police Inspector Michael Cuschieri forms part of the prosecution team.