Michael Testa
MP asks police to probe vote buying claims
Anġlu Farrugia (left) with Nationalist candidate David Agius at the vote counting hall in Naxxar on Sunday, March 9. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi.
Labour MP Anġlu Farrugia has asked the Police Commissioner to find out whether voting documents were bought by Nationalists ahead of the March 8 election, which saw the Nationalist Party win by a slim majority of just over 1,500 votes.
He alleged yesterday that hundreds of votes may have been exchanged for money and he presented a three-page report detailing cases with names and the amount of cash purportedly paid.
Dr Farrugia met Police Commissioner John Rizzo about the allegations and speaking to the media afterwards outside the police headquarters in Floriana said Mr Rizzo had assigned two officers to probe the allegations.
Asked later what he meant by the "selling of votes", Dr Farrugia said there were various ways in which this could be done. One way was to promise a vote to a candidate and receive money. The voter would then take a picture of the ballot sheet with a mobile phone as proof of having voted for that candidate.
Another way was for a voter supporting a party, for example the Labour Party, to trade his voting document for money, ensuring that the vote would be lost as the document would be destroyed, Dr Farrugia explained.
He declined to give details about particular cases, saying only that the price paid for votes ranged from €50 (Lm21.47) to €150 (Lm64.40), although in one case a bonus of €1,500 (Lm648.67) was also allegedly paid for a vote.
Dr Farrugia said his report also details "favours" granted in the days before the election so that, he alleged, those involved would vote for the Nationalist Party.
He felt it was his duty as a citizen and as a representative of the people in Parliament to draw up the report after he had been approached over such allegations. He was aware that letters with similar allegations had also been sent to the police. He said his report mentions two members of the former Nationalist Cabinet.
He had started to receive information about the alleged sale of votes after the Nationalist victory, he added.
Asked about the forthcoming election of a new MLP leader following the resignation of Alfred Sant, Dr Farrugia said he was interested in the post but would say whether he will contest or not in due course.
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In Discussion
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Joe Martinelli
Mar 30th 2008, 03:16
Isn't the seller of an official document not as guilty of a criminal offence as the buyer is?
Is this another case where someone is sqaurely aiming and shooting at his foot?
If indeed the 'seller' of the vote had to take a picture of the vote, would there have been sufficient light for a good picture and enough distance to focus properly?
As serious as these accusations are, so should the police investigations be and should ensure accuracy in its conclusions.
Looks like yet another publicity stunt to me and proof that within the MLP there is still the bitterness of defeat.
Yanica Mizzi
Mar 29th 2008, 20:30
to prove 'vote selling' difficult no? if it is the case people who are responsible for this can also do something to hide the proves now. however if it is proved , will the PN be trusted still? and if proves are not found will this alligation seem that the MLP made them to try to corrupt NP ? who knows one have to see till the end of this case.
Mario Gauci
Mar 29th 2008, 14:37
How convenient for 'angel' Farrugia to report to the police on the eve of him throwing his nomination for the post of party leader. Of course he had to make sure that like the outgoing leader of the MLP he had to make sure that his outing to Police HQ had to have all the trimmings of the press.
Let's hope that the MLP elect him as their leader. I am sure he will do wonders for them.
john fenech
Mar 29th 2008, 12:09
Well to prove the “votes selling” on the examples given is going to be a hard slog.
As regard the photo session although it is forbidden to use photographing equipment, as per notices inside the voting halls, let’s assume that Joe took a photo of the voting document, after he asks the supervisors that he require another document because he spoiled the first one!
It’s a case of Useless photo to the buyer and the best of both worlds to the seller. After all who’s to say that the photo, assuming that there was one, was sent to anyone?
As sold not to collect, if the document was not collected it could be interpreted in more ways than one. Sold, not interested, protest or not at home.
As regard votes for favours granted, well you know the Maltese saying about fish in the sea!
Well what I am saying is every thing is possible, so let’s keep the options open.