Magistrate Aaron Bugeja has accepted a request by Nationalist MP Simon Busuttil to collect documents related to the Panama Papers which German authorities say they have in their possession, and which have connections to Malta.  The request was made through Busuttil's lawyer for the case, Jason Azzopardi.

In a statement, the PN MP said that on Tuesday he had filed a court application in this regard to the magistrate, who is investigating the Egrant company, named in the Panama Papers as one of three companies with Maltese ownership.

Similar requests were also filed before Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, who is “investigating alleged money laundering by (OPM chief of staff) Keith Schembri” from sale of Maltese passports and to Magistrate Josette Demicoli, who is investigating money laundering claims made on Keith Schembri and former Allied Newspapers CEO Adrian Hillman.

Busuttil said he made the requests to ensure that information in the possession of the german authorities are passed on comprehensively to the inquiring magistrates. He said he testified before Magistrate Bugeja on Thursday.

Today, Magistrate Bugeja accepted the request and informed Busuttil that he will be making contact with the German authorities to provide him with an authentic copy of the information they hold, the MP said.

It is shameful that the rule of law is not being observed in Malta as could be seen by the EP delegation which was in Malta in the past two days, Busuttil said. Once Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has chosen not to take action on Minister Konrad Mizzi and Schembri, who held two companies in Panama, the only way to seek justice is to take the matter to the courts of law, he added.

PL statement

Reacting, the Labour Party accused Busuttil of being paranoid, adding that it was obvious that all information gathered by foreign authorities would be passed on the inquiring magistrate.

It said Busuttil should say whether he would resign should the accusations he has been riding on turn out to be false.