Former Economic Crimes Unit Inspector Daniel Zammit and his brother Roderick, who is still active in the Police Force and up until recently served in the same unit as his brother, are under investigation over their business links with Joe Gaffarena.

Yesterday, businessman Joe Gaffarena – Marco Gaffarena’s father - was held for questioning, it was revealed by MaltaToday. Police sources close to this newsroom confirmed that Daniel Zammit was also questioned. The reason why Roderick was not questioned yesterday is due to the fact that there’s a thorough investigation underway – which was kick-started late last month – looking into his business ties with the Gaffarena family, sources explained.

The questioning by police comes after the conclusions of inquiry which focused on the unethical behaviour of the Zammit family which comprises of police officers who had business interests with the Gaffarena family, including Daniel and Roderick’s father  Ray Zammit who served as acting police commissioner, were published. Daniel Zammit alone was investigated over the fact that he acted as prosecuting officer on murder charges against Joe Gaffarena’s son-in-law when he had business ties with Gaffarena.

Daniel Zammit’s name made it in the headlines after it emerged in parliament that he had been boarded out in a pretty fast manner on medical grounds in April, only to land a €60,000 job at Enemalta – a position which he was instantly removed from by the Energy Minister.

Although Roderick Zammit retained his police duties, he is currently facing an investigation by the Internal Affairs Unit within the Police Force.

At the time when the news of Daniel’s Enemalta job surfaced,  the spotlight was on Marco Gaffarena – Joe Gaffarena’s son - and the €1.65 million expropriation deal he landed over a property in Old Mint Street, Valletta. It later emerged that the two brothers – Daniel and Roderick - had business ties with members of the Gaffarena family.

Investigations made by this newsroom also revealed that just two weeks after being boarded out from the police force under dubious circumstances and with equally dubious speed, Daniel Zammit, along with his brother and fellow police inspector Roderick Zammit, went into business with an Italian online gaming operator who, according to reports, had regularly lent Daniel Zammit his Ferrari F12 Berlinetta while he was still an inspector with the Economic Crimes Unit.

While on the face of it there may be nothing wrong with borrowing a Ferrari from a friend, the fact that an inspector from the Economic Crimes Unit went into business two weeks after leaving the force with a person he had formerly been duty bound to investigate if necessary raised some very serious questions on the cosy arrangement.

Joe Gaffarena's two sons called in for questioning

In new developments, Joe Gaffarena's two sons - Marco and Michael - have been called in for quesitoning.