No criminal case against Pullicino Orlando

There is no criminal case to be made against Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando over the controversial Mistra disco project, the police said yesterday, even as two ex-members of the Development Control Commission were arraigned yesterday along with a former tourism consultant.

Following three months of investigation, the police issued a brief statement yesterday evening saying they had arraigning Philip Azzopardi, former chairman of a DCC board, and Anthony Mifsud, a former board member, for "private interest in adjudication".

George Micallef, who used to be a high-level consultant with the Malta Tourism Authority, was charged over a false declaration and planning development crimes.

When asked whether the police will be taking legal action against Dr Pullicino Orlando, who was at the centre of the allegations made by the Labour party when the case was revealed prior to last March's general election, Police Commissioner John Rizzo said the police felt there was no criminal case in his regard.

Neither was there a case against other officials previously implicated in the case.

"After we evaluated the case twice over, we felt that there was no criminal action to be taken against them," Mr Rizzo said.

He would not elaborate when asked about the specific crimes the DCC members and the MTA consultant were being accused of.

"Let the case be heard in court... we cannot discuss the case before it is even heard in court. We'll charge them and there will be the hearing of evidence," he said.

The investigation was initiated in the final days of the election campaign after former Labour Leader Alfred Sant alleged that corruption was involved in the way the permit for an open-air disco was issued.

A number of people were arrested and interrogated before the election but the case reached the Attorney General months later.

Police sources say there have been protracted discussions between the police and the AG's office on how to proceed.

Both the former DCC officials and Mr Micallef had resigned after their names were linked to the case.

In a brief comment to The Times yesterday evening, Dr Pullicino Orlando said he would be releasing a full statement today.

"I couldn't give my version of events in the past three-and-a-half months because I didn't want to be interpreted as interfering in the investigative process. What has kept me serene during this time - because some asked how I could remain so calm in the face of attacks being made in my regard - was the certainty that I did absolutely nothing wrong," he said.