Four people were arrested in the night between Monday and Tuesday, and all four have been given police bail, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa said on Friday.

He was asked for an update on the arrest and interrogation of former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri. The latter was arrested shortly after a court ordered a freeze on his assets and companies, and days after the conclusion of a magisterial inquiry into alleged kickbacks paid to him by Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna.

Schembri spent some 20 hours at the police headquarters and was released after the police agreed to show him some of the conclusions of the inquiry.

Commissioner Gafa said the arrests were made after secret court documents were leaked to the media. “We needed to act to preserve any evidence.”

He said the law precludes him from giving details on ongoing investigations but said the police would give an update at the opportune moment, without breaching any laws.

Police bail means that more investigations are required, he added. Asked what the reason behind the arrests was, Gafa said it was on alleged corruption and money laundering.

Asked if the police acted too late, he said there was an ongoing magisterial inqiury which is a form of investigation. This was a very comprehensive and detailed inquiry, he said.

Police bail is given for three months. It can be extended but the police do not intend to lengthen the process, Gafa added.