Right then, let me tell you about something that's tickled my funny bone, and probably yours too, if you've ever tried to plug in a USB stick the right way first time (spoiler: you haven't). It seems our chums in Malta have had a bit of a kerfuffle involving students, a lecturer, and an app called FreeHour.

Now, I'm no tech wizard, more of a bewildered bystander when it comes to the digital realm. But from what I gather, these bright sparks, three students by the names of Michael Debono, Giorgio Grigolo, and Luke Bjorn Scerri, and their lecturer, Mark Joseph Vella, found themselves in a spot of bother with the aforementioned FreeHour app.

Apparently, someone somewhere said there was some alleged "hacking" involved!

The Charges

The students were charged with gaining unauthorized access, which sounds terribly dramatic, doesn't it? Like something out of a James Bond film, only with more pizza and less Aston Martin. The lecturer, poor chap, was charged as an accomplice for proofreading an email. A proofreading accomplice! You couldn't make it up.

The Twist

But here's where it gets properly amusing. Our friends in the Maltese Cabinet, in a move that can only be described as wonderfully pragmatic, have decided to recommend a presidential pardon for all involved. Yes, a presidential pardon! For a bit of alleged app shenanigans! It's like using a sledgehammer to crack a particularly stubborn walnut.

Why the Pardon?

The government statement offered a few reasons for this rather generous move. Apparently, FreeHour, the alleged victim, was rather relaxed about the whole thing. More importantly, Malta didn't have clear policies about identifying vulnerabilities in systems when the alleged offense occurred. So, in essence, they were winging it. As one often does, eh?

Meeting of Minds?

Minister for Justice Jonathan Attard broke the news to the lecturer and students in a meeting, no doubt with a flourish and perhaps a sigh of relief all around. Imagine the scene!

So, there you have it. A tale of alleged hacking, proofreading assistance, and a presidential pardon. Only in Malta, eh?