The Principal Permanent Secretary should resign and an independent inquiry into his brother’s re-engagement into the civil service should be launched, Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said on Monday.

Aldo Cutajar, Malta’s consul to Shanghai, was arraigned on money laundering charges on Sunday after police raided his home and found half a million euro in cash.

Cutajar had replaced Sai Mizzi, former minister Konrad Mizzi’s wife, at the Shanghai posting. He had previously served in Beijing.

The head of the civil service, Mario Cutajar, is facing pressure to resign after it emerged that his brother had been convicted of misappropriating public funds in 2005. He was given a perpetual interdiction which was, however, revoked a few months later.

In a statement on Sunday, Mario Cutajar disassociated himself from the case and said he had always acted responsibly in his personal and professional life.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Delia said his position is no longer tenable. The fact that his brother was re-employed with the public service after his conviction was “scandalous," he said.

“Cutajar should resign without delay and there should be a public inquiry. The country deserves better,” Delia said.

Civil society NGOs have also called for a public inquiry.