What happens during the ‘compilation of evidence’ stage in a Maltese court case?

The compilation of evidence is a specific procedural stage most commonly associated with more serious criminal matters in Malta, where the Court of Magistrates, sitting as a Court of Criminal Inquiry, conducts a preliminary hearing process to gather and examine the evidence against the accused before deciding whether there is sufficient basis for the case to be referred to the Criminal Court for full trial, and this process is governed by provisions of the Criminal Code, Chapter 9 of the Laws of Malta, together with the Code of Organisation and Civil Procedure, Chapter 12 of the Laws of Malta, regarding court procedure more generally. During this stage, witnesses may be called to testify, documentary and other evidence is formally presented and recorded, and both the prosecution and the defence, through their lawyers, have the opportunity to examine and challenge that evidence, essentially building the formal evidentiary record that will later form the basis of the trial if the matter proceeds to the Criminal Court. If this term has come up in relation to a specific matter you or someone you know is involved in, it would be worth clarifying directly with the lawyer handling that specific case exactly what stage the compilation of evidence has reached and what to expect next, since the specific procedural posture can vary.