Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela today stopped short of saying that Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar carried out his duties in a serious way when pressed by members of the media.
Asked multiple times to state whether he felt Commissioner Cutajar worked “seriously” when the allegations came out that the Prime Minister’s wife, Michelle Muscat, is the beneficiary of Egrant Inc, a Panama-based offshore company named in the Panama Papers scandal, Mr Abela avoided the subject completely and instead attacked the Opposition Leader.
After taking the opportunity to slam Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil for repeating serious allegations about the Prime Minister’s wife, and for attacking Malta’s institutions to the detriment of the people, the Minister finally said “the Commissioner is carrying out his duties”, (Il-Kumissarju qed jaghmel xogohlu). He was asked on his views on whether the Commissioner acted professionally.
Following the allegations made by journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Police Commissioner was found to be eating rabbit (fenkata) at a restaurant in Mgarr.
“We need to be careful about how we speak about the financial services of our country. I understand that the Opposition Leader does not care about this. The only position he cares about his damaging the country, that is what is looks like from where we are standing.
“I think we should be cautious. Investigations are in place, and are being led by the magistrate.”
Pressed on whether he feels that the Police Commissioner acted out his duties in a professional way (b’mod serju), Mr Abela said:
“I feel that the Opposition Leader did not carry out his duties professionally. The Commissioner is doing his work, is all the Opposition Leader is doing is making extremely serious allegations without producing a shred of proof, which means he does not have any.
“The Commissioner spoke with the magistrate in order to start the investigations, which is what is being done. Someone else, who was called before the magistrate leading the investigation, instead of responding to the call they hid. The Commissioner is carrying out his duties.”
Mr Abela was referring to Mrs Caruana Galizia’s failure to present herself to the magistrate heading the investigation when called.