Sant calls for PM to resign over Fenech's pardon

Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday called on the prime minister to resign and raised the question of whether Eddie Fenech Adami had granted a presidential pardon to Joseph Fenech, Zeppi l-hafi, after being blackmailed.

Speaking at a press conference at the MLP headquarters, in Hamrun, flanked by deputy leader Charles Mangion and Labour justice spokesman Anglu Farrugia, Dr Sant would not substantiate his claim when pressed on the matter.

"Who is Dr Fenech Adami protecting? Is there anything going on between them? Is there blackmail? Why is there such a profound friendship?" Dr Sant asked.

Asked whether he would be informing the police he knew the prime minister was being blackmailed, Dr Sant replied: "No".

Mr Fenech had been granted a presidential pardon in return for his testimony in the trial of Meinrad Calleja over complicity in the stabbing of Richard Cachia Caruana, the prime minister's personal assistant. Mr Calleja has been acquitted of the charge.

Dr Sant said the prime minister was personally responsible for the granting of the pardon and should resign immediately.

He was prepared to make a declaration that he was convinced Mr Calleja had nothing to do with the Mdina stabbing and that he believed the testimony of Ian Farrugia, Charles Attard (Iz-zambi) and Nicholas Jensen - that it had been Mr Fenech who had stabbed Mr Cachia Caruana.

The Labour leader said he had waited a day-and-a-half before making comments on the outcome of the trial as he had expected Dr Fenech Adami to speak out about the case first because it "reflects on the prime minister's political integrity and on the administration of justice and security".

He said the prime minister had not said the truth about the manner in which the pardon was granted as while Dr Fenech Adami had said it was given on the direct instigation "of the highest authorities", former police commissioner George Grech had testified in court that the prime minister insisted on granting the pardon even though the police were against it.

"The prime minister played Sherlock Holmes and took part in investigations and insisted that (Mr) Fenech should be granted a pardon," Dr Sant said.

Jurors had not believed Mr Fenech in two cases and his evidence in Mr Calleja's drugs case had been "superfluous". The pardon should be revoked, he said.

When asked how this could be done, he said he was a politician not a lawyer - it was the Attorney General who should find ways to revoke it.

Dr Sant said investigations into Mr Calleja's drugs case had been ably conducted by then Inspector Michael Cassar and there had been no need for Mr Fenech's evidence as the police had built a solid case.

He said it was shameful of the prime minister and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg to speak about changing the jury system after Mr Calleja's case. "Instead of accepting a democratic verdict, they want to change the referee," he argued.

Asked whether the MLP agreed with the jury system, as there had been statements about the need to change it for several years, Dr Sant called the question "spin" and said it was not the issue. When pressed about it, he said: "In some elements we are prepared to consider it but not in others."

While saying "there was no need to speak about how investigations were conducted" into Mr Cachia Caruana's stabbing, he again raised the issue of why no DNA analysis had been carried out on cigarette butts found at Mdina.

Asked whether he was aware of the evidence given in court - that DNA was not so reliable at the time the crime took place - and why, if he felt so strongly about the issue, he did not instruct such tests to be carried out when he was prime minister, Dr Sant said he never wished to get involved in the investigation.

Asked why the police file related to investigations into Mr Cachia Caruana's case had been taken from police headquarters to Castille when he was prime minister, Dr Sant first said he did not know which file journalists were talking about and when pressed he angrily said he had never requested it or seen it.

During Mr Calleja's trial, Mr Grech testified that the names of informers whom the police had promised to protect were revealed after the file left police headquarters and these informers had been called to testify.

Asked why the MLP government had not withdrawn the pardon, Dr Sant said it had not wanted to interfere in the case.

The MLP, he said, was not defending Mr Calleja. Had it wanted to do so he would have been given a pardon when the MLP was in office.

The government said last night the prime minister was contemplating instituting criminal action against Dr Sant over his "serious allegations".