The NGO Repubblika has deemed a ruling by Magistrate Nadine Lia rejecting its challenge proceedings to force the Police Commissioner to charge individuals related to Pilatus Bank as a “perversion of justice and the contrary to justice and good.”
In a press conference outside the police headquarters, Repubblika’s Honorary President Robert Aquilina said that the magistrate had labelled the evidence – which included a whole copy of a magisterial inquiry into Pilatus Bank – as hearsay and called the source of the evidence into question.
He said that Lia’s sentence, of which Repubblika received a copy yesterday, stated that not enough prima facie evidence – defined as evidence at first glance – was presented for the matter to be taken up. Furthermore, he added that the evidence that he presented was deemed to be “speculation and insufficient”, which Aquilina said is not the case since Repubblika produced a lot of evidence including that of a previous inquiry.
Magistrate Ian Farrugia’s inquiry had recommended charges against six individuals related to the bank, but Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa’ and Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg chose not to issue charges against all of them.
Aquilina stressed that Repubblika cannot agree with Magistrate Lia’s sentence since it enables Gafa’ and Buttigieg to continue with their unacceptable behaviour.
Aquilina said that Repubblika will be appealing the sentence next week; however at this stage it is limiting itself only to saying that Lia’s ruling is “mistaken legally and in fact.” He further said that it is a “perversion of justice” since it gave the order for a criminal investigation into how Repubblika obtained the evidence, adding that this is unacceptable.
Aquilina said that now that the Police Commissioner has the magistrate’s blessing he may be called for questioning but stressed that the police will receive no information from him, rather, the police will be told that new sources have come through on the “obscenities going on under the Commissioner’s watch.”
Aquilina went on to warn Prime Minister Robert Abela that there are attempts of “frame ups and persecutions” and that Repubblika will not stand for it. He went on to remind Abela that Repubblika is capable of stopping him reminding that “if it wasn’t for us, he wouldn’t be Prime Minister” and added that Repubblika is not afraid to seek justice as it did against former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Aquilina continued by alleging that Buttigieg and Gafa’ are currently “helping” those involved in Pilatus since no evidence has been presented thus far on their part. “This is a perversion of justice,” he reiterated.
Repubblika President Vicky Cremona meanwhile reminded that it was through Repubblika’s efforts that the Vitals scandal was taken to court and went on to lobby for justice with regards to 17 Black which has now also reached court. She said that Repubblika cannot understand how Lia focused on the inquiry itself as opposed to the content of the inquiry.
Cremona said that without protected whistle-blowers Malta will remain occupied by corruption.
As things stand, she said, instead of whistle-blowers being given legal protection they – including Robert Aquilina – are being threatened.
She said that someone must realize that “the police are there to hunt down criminals, even if they are rich and friendly with politicians.” She added that it is clear that the Prime Minister learnt nothing from Daphne Caruana Galizia who also was pressed to reveal her sources.