Controversial oil trader George Farrugia, who is enjoying State immunity to spill information in a string of cases of kickbacks to public and private officials, is currently being interrogated at the police headquarters, this newsroom has learnt.

While George Farrugia, a former director of the John’s Group and founder of Powerplan, has given evidence, under immunity, that could incriminate his brothers and other people who occupied high positions at Enemalta, all could be reversed if the new investigation launched by inspector Jonathan Ferris of the Economic Crimes Unit bears evidence that Farrugia covered up vital information.

The sudden and rushed quest for new evidence has sparked a change of heart by the police who placed George Farrugia on ‘police bail’, barring him from travelling abroad, something he still enjoyed under the immunity conditions he agreed to back in 2013.

Sources within the police headquarters told this newsroom that George Farrugia was called in for fresh interrogations this morning. Asked whether this is the result of new stories leaked to the press, the sources said that it is not clear why the police have changed tact with their key witness in a string of court cases initiated against public and private officials following the oil procurement scandal which broke on the eve of the general election in 2013.

Most importantly, claim the sources, are the new conditions placed on Farrugia under the police bail issued in his regard last week. It is now being said that “following the course of the investigation the police have reason to believe that further investigation is appropriate which could still lead to legal procedures” against George Farrugia.

These new ‘police bail’ conditions on the former oil trader prove that the police are seriously considering consulting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to revoke the immunity given to George Farrugia and eventually take him to court. Legal experts who spoke to this newsroom confirmed that should this be the case, all testimony given by George Farrugia under immunity, which could incriminate himself and the others he identified in the oil procurement scandal, cannot be used in court.

The Malta Independent is following closely the events unfolding at the police headquarters. If George Farrugia is held under arrest over the next 48 hours all indications will point at an imminent revocation of the immunity granted in 2013.