The police have denied that they need authorisation from the Prime Minister in order to access the phone of Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty, saying that investigations have been ongoing with no interference. 

The police were reacting to a story published in the Sunday Times of Malta which stated that police were waiting for the green light from the Prime Minister to unlock the phone of Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty, a phone which is reportedly a “pandora’s box of sensitive information”, which includes an exchange between Abela and Gaerty on opposition leader Bernard Grech’s tax situation. 

Gaerty, who was interrogated by police earlier this month in connection with exchanges he had with Yorgen Fenech in 2014 and is currently on police bail, according to the report denied access to his phone, citing security legislation in the Income Tax Act, which can only be waived by the Prime Minister. 

In their statement, the police said that the reported contained “incorrect assertions”.

“It is not true that the police require any authorisation from the Prime Minister to acquire or analyse mobile phones and other technological apparatus. The police investigation mentioned in the report has been proceedings with no disruptions, also with the help of an inquiring magistrate,” the police said. 

The investigation referred to is likely to be that concerning Fenech and Gaerty.

“Requests made according to tax law have nothing to do with other parts of the said report,” the police said, without providing any further explanation in this regard.