One of the men accused of tampering with the VAT receipt lottery explained the simple system of clipping the chosen receipt to one of the urn’s apertures, asking the board members to draw the next invoice and then, picking it. Former inspector Bernard Zarb testified in the case against 11 people accused of tampering with the VAT lottery between June and October 2003. Brian Galea, 34 from Mqabba, Victor Ellul, 31 from Zurrieq and Polly Gili, 51 from Senglea, who are public officials, were charged with fraud and making money off their employer (the government). They were also accused of malicious use of documents and government funds entrusted to them.
Alfred Pace, 32 from Paola, Charles Bezzina, 42 from Msida, Brian Tabone, 31 from St Paul’s Bay, Mario Abdilla, 26 from Fgura, Carmel Cutajar, 40 from Birkirkara, Pierre Schembri, 32 from Qrendi, Joseph Debono, 38 from Marsascala and Fiona Micallef Higgins, 27 from Ghaxaq were all accused of complicity in the crimes allegedly committed by the three public officials.
The inspector explained that the scam involved a chain of people promising money in return for being allowed to use a person’s details to be drawn up in the lottery.
Mr Zarb gave a detailed account of how Mr Galea had divulged the secret as to the manner in which the lottery was fixed.
The accused was a tradesman with the Public Lotto Department and had always been present for the VAT lottery draws.
“Mr Galea was in charge of opening the shutters to St James Ditch, were the lottery is drawn and also spun the urn,” said Mr Zarb. Mr Galea told police he went to the premises before everyone else, with Victor Ellul.
They would clip the chosen receipts to one of the urn’s hinges to be picked up when Mr Galea asked the board members to let him draw the next invoice.
Inspector Zarb also broke down one of the chains of offers which resulted in all 11 being charged with involvement in the scam. “Mr Galea approached Charles Bezzina for his details. In turn, he approached Mr Tabone who went on to approach Mr Cutajar,” he said.
Mr Cutajar’s lottery win was how the police discovered the tampering.
On 15 October 2003, an informer had given Mr Zarb Mr Cutajar’s name as the winner of the lottery to be held the next day. In his testimony he explained that he had sealed the name he was given in an envelope.
When the lottery was drawn and Mr Cutajar announced a winner, Mr Zarb took the sealed envelope to Acting Public Lotto Director Carmel Scicluna.
Mr Zarb said Mr Cutajar had also admitted his involvement in the scheme saying he had been approached by Brian Tabone who offered him to “win” the lottery by allowing him to use his details.
The case has since been taken over by Superintendent Sandra Mamo while Dr Joseph Giglio, Dr Jose Herrera, Dr Anglu Farrugia, Dr Michael Sciriha, Dr Franco Debono and Dr Mark Attard Montalto appeared for the accused.