The widow of the late notary Ivan Barbara has denied claims that she was involved in misappropriation or that she operated offshore accounts. She also insisted that her work as an accountant was separate from her late husband’s work.

Rosanne Barbara Zarb’s statement came after three of her late husband’s former clients filed a court application in which they called for a magisterial inquiry to be launched. They argued that Barbara Zarb had not denied claims made in the media that her husband had cashed promise-of-sale cheques into his personal accounts and that he had offshore accounts.

Barbara died of Covid-19 in India earlier this year. Several former clients are struggling to recoup money they had paid to him as deposits on property purchases.

The full statement from Barbara Zarb’s lawyer reads as follows:

“Rosanne Barbara Zarb, widower of the late Notary Ivan Barbara, refers to the recent publications and newsclips mentioning her in connection with monies allegedly deposited with Notary Barbara in the course of exercise of his profession.

Mrs Barbara Zarb had no involvement or connection whatsoever with her late husband’s profession, or its exercise, in the same manner in which Notary Barbara had no involvement or connection whatsoever with his wife’s profession or its exercise.

In particular, Mrs Barbara Zarb strongly denies that she made use, benefitted or received in her own bank accounts any part of those funds. Spouses Barbara kept and operated separate accounts, both in regard to their work as well as for their personal transactions.

With reference to the published declarations implicating Mrs Barbara Zarb in offshore companies, and misappropriation of funds, those declarations are completely false and defamatory. She never had any involvement whatsoever in offshore companies, nor misappropriated any funds whatsoever.

She declares further, in the most absolute manner, that all expenses for adopting her daughter, including her own and her late husband’s travel and accomodation expenses, were paid in their entirety from funds deriving exclusively from the exercise of her own profession.

Whilst understanding and empathising with whoever is reclaiming his funds, Mrs Barbara Zarb has no information whatsoever in that regard, and all allegations implying her benefitting in any way from those monies, during her husband’s lifetime or after his decease, are completely untrue. In order to safeguard her own and her minor daughter’s interest, she has no other option but to seek judicial remedies against whoever is spreading these false and defamatory allegations.”