A suspended government official was this morning granted bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000 after pleading not guilty to charges of bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, computer misuse and divulging professional secrets.

Godwin Sant, 44, from Naxxar, is currently suspended from his job of Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy and Water Conservation. He had previously served as Director for Energy Regulation and later as Chief Officer Energy Policy at the Malta Resources Authority (MRA).

Inspector Jonathan Ferris, prosecuting, said Mr Sant was arrested in January after the police received information on allegations of bribery, tax evasion and misuse of information he was privy to. He said Mr Sant, an engineer, was responsible to oversee MRA regulations.

Inspector Ferris said the police had no explanation as to where the money in Mr Sant's bank account came from but they were not in line with his earnings. He requested for his funds to be frozen in line with the Money Laundering Act.

A few days after his arrest, Malta Today published emails which seem to show that Mr Sant received UK football tickets by oil giant Trafigura at the request of pardoned oil trader George Farrugia. The newspaper also claims that Mr Sant had a “cosy relationship” with Mr Farrugia, even furnishing him with details of other developments related to what was taking place under the energy portfolio at the MRA. Sant was responsible for overseeing that fuel specifications of imported oil were according to strict tender requirements.

Defence lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo said they were not contesting the validity of the arrest but made a request for bail. The prosecution said the decision would rest with the courts, but pressed for a number of conditions.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona granted bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000. He also ordered a freeze on Mr Sant’s assets. The Magistrate warned the accused about the consequences of breaching his bail conditions. He and ordered him so sign the bail book at the Naxxar police station twice a week and warned him not to approach any witnesses.