Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Carmelo Abela is facing a police investigation into the HSBC heist claims, reports read.

PN MP Jason Azzopardi had claimed that Minister Carmelo Abela was promised €300,000 in exchange for helping the would-be robbers in the 2010 HSBC heist. Abela has denied the allegations and filed a libel case against the minister. Abela had, at the time, worked as a senior insurance and statistics officer within the bank's Department of Security

The Times of Malta reports that Abela was one of a small group of people within the bank who had access to security equipment that generates key cards suspected to have been used by the robbers. It also reports that Judge Giovanni Grixti decided to notify Abela about the request made by the police to gain access to testimony he had given during the compilation of evidence against two men who stand charged over the heist. He had testified behind closed doors. It reports that the police made clear that a fresh investigation was opened due to the allegations against Abela.