The Malta Today newspaper has revealed that Gaddafi's widow, Safia Farkash, last month appealed the case related to money held in Bank of Valletta, where a judge ordered last June to return it to the Libyan state.

The newspaper added that the lawyers of Gaddafi's widow confirmed that the Maltese courts lack jurisdiction and cannot adjudicate the case over the money belonging to Mutassim Gaddafi, which is estimated at more than 96 million euros.

In a recent response to the appeal, lawyer Shazoo Ghaznavi, who has been appointed as the Libyan state's special representative, said the fact that the money was being held by a bank registered in Malta still gives the Maltese courts jurisdiction.

The evidence showed that Mutassim Gaddafi was subject to Libyan Law 40 of 1974 regarding service in the armed forces, which specifically prohibits members of the military from engaging in or carrying out any business or commercial activities while on duty, Malta Today added.

The newspaper said that Safia Farkash’s lawyer claimed that Mutassim Gaddafi had another heir, his wife, Dutch model Lisa Van Goinga and her son, and insisted that Gaddafi’s money in Malta was his own money and not government money.