A court heard today how many of the landlords who leased out properties to companies registered by accountant Joe Sammut admitted their involvement in the provision of bogus residential addresses.

The landlords told the police that they had been approached by a Libyan national, by the name of Ali, and agreed to provide their addresses, Inspector Lara Butters told the court during the compilation of evidence against Mr Sammut.

The 58-year-old former Labour Party treasurer and candidate is facing charges of money laundering, fraud and misappropriation over allegations that he assisted Libyan nationals obtain residency permits by registering bogus companies.

He is also charged with misappropriation and non-observance of the due diligence expected of him in his professional capacity as an accountant.

Inspector Butters explained that investigations had revealed a total of 14 addresses that featured on the majority of the registered companies.

She said the police went to 12 of the addresses but found that no Libyans were living there so a decision was taken to summon the landlords. Some of them were even vacant properties, she said. 

The inspector said the police spoke to all of the 10 landlords.

One of the landlords, Conrad Pisani, admitted his involvement to the police and explained how  a Libyan, Mr Ali, had approached him about the use of his properties.

Mr Pisani explained that his car wash business was struggling at the time and he needed the money.

He accepted to allow his address to be used and admitted that he knew that it was a bogus lease agreement.

He received two €50 payments.

The Inspector said Mr Pisani also admitted forging his father's signature on the lease agreements. His father knew nothing of these deals, the Inspector said.

Another landlord, Desmond Falzon, also admitted to allowing Libyans to use his address to be able to open bank accounts and companies in Malta. 

Claude Cefai, whose properties featured on several of these lease agreements, told the police he had met Mr Ali and agreed to allow him to use two addresses.

One of the addresses is in Naxxar where his father lived, and another one in St Paul's Bay which was the family's summer residence. 

Maria Turkodan, who signed several lease agreements, told police she had met Mr Ali at the hotel where she worked and he asked if clients could use her apartment.

She admitted that no one ever took up residence in her property.

Simon Attard, who lives in Pembroke, said he never signed any lease agreements but had been approached by an acquaintance called Amar Sultan who wanted to receive mail at his address.

Mr Sultan was one of Mr Sammut's key professional fixers who used to introduce potential clients. 

David Paris, another landlord of a property in St Paul's Bay, said the address in question was not his, and denied signing any lease agreements.

Inspector Butters told magistrate Doreen Clarke that she had interrogated Mr Sammut as well as his five employees specifically about the procedure they used to register companies for Libyan clients.

The case continues next month.

Police Inspectors Jonathan Ferris is prosecuting together with Inspector Butters.

Lawyers Michael Schiriha, Franco Galea, Simon Micallef Stafrace and Martin Fenech appeared for Mr Sammut.