Malta Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Sigmund Mifsud on Saturday was charged with tampering with evidence after he allegedly instructed MPO employees to keep quiet on sexual harassment scandal. 

A few days ago a senior official at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra was placed under a restraining order, as well as a suspended sentence, after admitting to having sexually harassed a young female orchestra musician over a span of more than three year.

The 31-year-old Gozitan man, whose name cannot be published by court order, was accused of harassing the young woman, subjecting her to an unsolicited act of physical intimacy, subjecting her to unwanted sexual behaviour and misuse of telecommunications equipment.

The MPO said last week that the official in question was suspended and that a disciplinary board would be looking into the claims after the period in which he could file an appeal against the court ruling – 30 days – expired. 

Police arraigned Mifsud, a former Labour candidate, on Saturday and charged him with attempting to tamper with evidence.

Apart from telling MPO employees not to speak out about the scandal, prosecutors allege Mifsud also tried to convince the victim to change her version of events. 

Magistrate Nadine Lia turned down a request for bail, noting that the accused still occupied his post. Since one of the charges concerned the alleged attempt to tamper with evidence and since the witnesses were mainly his subordinates, the court denied bail at this stage.

Inspectors Gabriel Micallef and Kevin Pulis prosecuted. Lawyers Edward Gatt and Shaun Zammit were counsel to the defence. Lawyers Ilenia Agius and Joseph Gatt appeared parte civile. 

In a statement, the government said that after the criminal proceedings against Mifsud started, he was being suspended on half pay.

Mro Chris Muscat, who is Pjazza Teatru CEO, has been appointed acting CEO of the national orchestra.

Photo: Net News