Allied Newspapers Ltd has said that it never received any money from Former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri.
Allied Newspapers Limited issued a statement in response to a story that appeared in the Illum newspaper, which read that The Times of Malta directors who were in court on Saturday are being investigating for allegedly having defrauded €750,000 from Malta Enterprise, when they purchased a printing press from former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, and took €1.7 million as 'investment aid' from Malta Enterprise. The Illum article also read that over a number of years, Allied Newspapers took €690,000 from Schembri, prior to him becoming the OPM's Chief of Staff, and that these funds were allegedly sent to a British Virgin Islands account.
"Contrary to what is being reported, the company confirms that at no stage whatsoever did it ever receive any sum of money from the ex-Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Keith Schembri, or any of his companies. Neither did Allied Newspapers ever hold an offshore account in the British Virgin Islands," Allied Newspapers said.
"If, however, money was in fact passed on by Mr Schembri to two of the Group's former managing directors as is being reported, then this was all done behind the back of the Group and its board of directors," Allied Newspapers added.
"With regards to the Allied Group's applications for 'Investment Aid' under the investment aid regulations under the Malta Enterprise Act, the Group has no knowledge of any irregularities in such aid and all applications and subsequent contracts were always vetted and confirmed as being granted in line with the eligibility for such aid."
"On a final note, the Group reiterates that it was shocked by Saturday's revelations and, as the injured party in all of these unfortunate events, it is very disappointed by the outcome and looks forward to the course of justice. The Allied Group will continue to co-operate fully with the police investigations regarding the Schembri-Hillman case, as it did during the Magisterial Inquiry conducted by Magistrate Josette Demicoli," Allied Newspapers concluded.