Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today accused the leader of the Opposition of withholding information on transactions which allegedly show kickbacks received by the PM’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri, in order to cause delays in the magisterial inquiry and create more diversion.
He also accused Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil of knowing that the Egrant allegations were fake, adding that it was a coordinated attack.
Later on in the day, when asked whether he would tell Keith Schembri to publish the invoices prior to the election, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat replied that firstly, The Times of Malta should publish their report regarding Mr Hillman.
Dr Muscat was asked for reactions about yesterday’s press conference by Dr Busuttil where he announced that he had evidence regarding former managing director of Allied Group Adrian Hillman €650,000 and alleged that Mr Hilman, together with Mr Schembri had engaged in a classic case of money laundering.
PL PC Ta Qali Clip 1 MKE12156.MOV from The Malta Independent on Vimeo.
While addressing members of the press, Dr Muscat said that the allegations about Mr Schembri and Mr Hillman were nothing more of a regurgitation, and that this was a ploy because the Egrant allegations about his wife, Michelle Muscat, had been fading from the public eye.
Dr Muscat stressed that he wants to get to the bottom of who is really behind the allegations in the Egrant case, and both for personal reasons as well as for the country, presumably so that people may get closure on the divisive issue.
Asked by The Malta Independent whether he would be finally letting the public know about what he intends to do with Mr Schembri, if he would retain him as his chief of staff, Dr Muscat said that he will take the decision when the time came. He also cited Mr Schembri’s declaration that should the courts find him implicated in allegations and therefore investigated by the police, he would resign of his own accord.
Dr Muscat also said that the €650,000 allegation of kickback and money laundering against Mr Schembri were untrue, that the transfer of money was made before he was appointed chief of staff and that all taxes were paid in Malta.
He failed to say whether Mr Schembri would be publishing documents to that effect.
Dr Muscat was also asked about whether he believes FIAU report versus Mr Schembri, he failed to answer the question and fired back at Times of Malta for failing to publish an internal report on Mr Hillman.
Shadow minister for home affairs Beppe Fenech Adami
During yesterday’s University of Malta General Election debate, Dr Muscat challenged Dr Busuttil to say whether deputy PN leader Beppe Fenech Adami would resign if he found himself under investigation.
The investigation surrounds a company called CapitalOne, where Dr Fenech Adami was a non-executive director as part of the services of his law firm. The company was linked with money laundering and drug trafficking charges of a Dutch national, who is said to have used a Maltese registered company.
Dr Muscat today explained that the basis of this challenge was because after three former judges had concluded a report into the allegations that the local police force stopped investigations into Capital One (they had been asked by Dutch police) when Dr Fenech Adami’s name came up, it was found that the report contained a sealed part.
The Attorney General apparently told Dr Muscat that he has a duty to see the sealed part of the investigation, and after reading it had passed this on for further investigation.