Government sources said this evening that reports in the Libya Herald which this morning said that the Central Bank of Libya Governor, Saddek Omar Elkaber, has been seeking sanctuary in Malta for months are off the mark.

The Herald reported that the "well known secret" was confirmed during yesterday's House of Representatives questioning of the Deputy Finance Minister Maraja Ghait.

But in an official reaction, the Government of Malta said that there had never been any request for protection by Mr Elkaber. 

Further probing of government sources established that he is "definitely not in Malta"and that he is "beleived to be in London". 

The same sources said that Mr Elkaber's immediate family has, however, been living in Malta for about two to three years and that his children are in school here. The sources said that the government has no information indicating that Mr Elkaber, however, is a qualified resident of Malta.