Robert Aquilina, Fondazione Falcone's representative in Malta, has accused Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà of undermining the criminal inquiry into Malta's controversial hospitals deal.

In a statement published on social media, Aquilina said that he recently gave a voluntary statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Force. While saying that he will keep most of the statement's content confidential for the time being, Aquilina spoke about part of it.

Aquilina said that Gafà undermined the criminal inquiry, and ensured that none of the tens of individuals who were indicated by the inquiring magistrate in relation to the hospitals case were interrogated by police officers. "I said how Gafa and other persons wanted, at all costs, to avoid one of the indicated persons giving in to pressure under interrogation. I explained that they were determined to avoid in the hospitals case having someone who would expose his accomplices."

The hospitals scandal centres on a deal under which three of Malta's public hospitals were transferred to private operators in a concession agreement. The concession, signed under the previous Labour administration, has since been annulled by the courts in judgements that mentioned fraud and collusion.

Last year, former top government officials, including former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, were charged in relation to the deal.

"I explained how Gafà undermined the inquiry and the prosecutions that resulted from it by not using a strong and effective tool that the law provides when a crime is committed by more than one person," he stated, mentioning specifically plea bargains or presidential pardons-in order to secure state witnesses from among those who had been indicated.

"I am certain that no steps will be taken by the Police Force, because Gafà has introduced an environment of bullying that does not allow officers to do their duty," he said. "I stated, however, that I am convinced the day will come when the leadership and conduct of Gafà will be investigated by the Police Corps itself or through some form of inquiry, as part of an effort to restore the rule of law in our country."

While Aquilina has not disclosed further details from his CID statement, he insisted that "everything will come out at the right time."

Aquilina's remarks are the latest in a series of public interventions by Repubblika concerning the hospitals case. The NGO has long argued that both the privatisation deal and the subsequent failure to take action represented a breakdown in Malta's rule of law, which resulted in a magisterial inquiry having to be called into the case.