The compilation of evidence against Frank Sammut, former CEO of Enemalta’s oil bunkering subsidiary, MOBC, who is accused of money laundering, corruption and for accepting commissions on oil purchases, started today.

Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar repeated the testimony he gave in the compilation against former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone, who faces similar charges.

Mr Sammut, AC Cassar testified, told the police that the Enemalta chairman had suggested the opening of a bank account in Switzerland where oil purchases commission payments would be deposited.

Sammut had met a representative of oil trading company Trafigura in London during an international fair. He had agreed with him that he would help the representative’s company to submit the best offers to Enemalta, so that the corporation would buy its oil needs from Trafigura. But it was the chairman, Tancred Tabone, who met Trafigura’s officials to sign the contracts.

Sammut would receive the commissions from Trafigura from which he paid Tancred Tabone’s share in cash or through bank transfers, AC Cassar said. Sammut also had a bank account in Gibraltar, which has now been wound down. Trafigura had deposited €159,000 into the account, and Sammut said he had shared it with Tabone. He had also received €80,000 in the HSBC Bank account in Switzerland.

Searches had been conducted at Sammut’s company offices and at his home. AC Cassar said Sammut had admitted he had a conflict of interest when he served as CEO of MOBC and then as consultant to Enemalta’s chairman, when at the same time he had a private company in which he was a silent partner.