Mark Micallef
No conspiracy in Harry Vassallo VAT case
Just plain mismanagement and chance
The internal police inquiry into why the police left it to the eve of the general election to serve former Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo with an arrest warrant - which had been issued five months earlier - excludes any politically driven conspiracy.
In exonerating the police of any wrongdoing, the inquiry report, of which The Times has seen a copy, reads more like a Seconds From Disaster Documentary: It gives a blow-by-blow account of how bureaucratic mishaps and plain mismanagement aligned to facilitate something of a calamity.
An angry Dr Vassallo had accused the Nationalist Party of plumbing new depths in its campaign when he was served with the arrest warrant for a tax offence on March 5.
The warrant had been issued in October 2007 but Dr Vassallo was only served with it five months later, just three days before polling and two days before "silence day", during which he would not be able to react or clarify his position.
The fact that a NET News journalist inquired about the warrant hours before the police had served it, further supported the notion that the whole debacle was the result of a planned political conspiracy.
"The trap had been hidden away for months and the file left in some drawer until it would serve the PN," Dr Vassallo had said about the timing of the whole affair in a press conference called shortly after the police served him the warrant.
The case concerns VAT returns for a company in which Dr Vassallo was a director some 10 years ago. He had been fined €13,974 for not filing the company returns in time.
After he refused to pay the fines, insisting that he was no longer responsible for the company, they were converted into a two-year prison term in October 2007.
Dr Vassallo was unaware of this development until the PN media journalist questioned him about it.
The debacle reached fever pitch by the evening with then Opposition leader Alfred Sant accusing the government of fascist tactics. But even Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi expressed bafflement and suspicion during the leaders' debate on the eve of the election.
"Some wise guy decided to take something which was decided five months ago and which lay in a drawer for five months and now this wise guy decided to exercise this right or rather obligation against Harry Vassallo..." Dr Gonzi had said after his counterpart raised the issue earlier in the debate. But the report excludes the sort of ulterior motives the leaders of all three parties seem to have implied. Instead, the timing is explained by the Sliema police station's slow bureaucratic machine and a couple of unfortunate circumstances. The file arrived at the station on October 15 with a covering note by the Assistant Police Commissioner to report back action by November 19. By that time, however, the document had simply been bumped from one office to the other, registered and assigned to a police sergeant for perusal.
Yet, even at this stage, there was a snag. "The sergeant in those days was studying for his exam to become an inspector and it seems he was not getting much work done..." the report establishes.
On top of this, the report points out that, because hundreds of such arrest warrants are issued in connection with VAT reporting offences - which are known to carry draconian penalties usually resolved through a Presidential pardon - the warrant was probably not considered to be urgent. Still, senior police administration officers filed at least four notes, demanding that action be taken "ASAP" but they all went ignored. By February, the sergeant originally handling the case got promoted to inspector and his caseload was transferred to a new sergeant... whose wife happened to be pregnant.
The dynamics here changed completely because while the first officer was slow in his work because of the pending exam, the latter was eager to clear his in-tray before his wife gave birth and he went on leave.
A colleague of his, in fact, had warned about the timing on learning that the warrant concerned Dr Vassallo (the warrant referred to an Enrico rather than Harry Vassallo), but the sergeant was probably more eager to strike the warrant off the to-do-list, the report comments.
The board similarly concludes that there was no relation with the fact that the Net News journalist had inquired about the warrant hours before the police served Dr Vassallo with it.
Dr Vassallo himself came to this conclusion after looking into the matter in person after the election. He told the police that he had discovered that the NET News journalist had found out about the October 2007 sentence through the law courts documents. "So, to give my opinion, I no longer believed that there was a conspiracy which involved the police," the report quotes Dr Vassallo saying.
In its conclusion, the report exonerates the police completely of any wrongdoing in connection with the timing of the arrest warrant but calls on the Police Commissioner to take action to ensure that orders from the police's central management are executed "diligently and expeditiously".
32 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
P Farrugia
Aug 11th 2008, 22:19
Some of these bloggers are unbelievable!! Two enquiries conclude that there was no conspiracy, Dr Vassallo admits it too and yet they would have us believe this is all PN spin! Dr Vassallo used the circumstances to spin a conspiracy theory which he now publicly states did not exist. It was political opportunism. No more and no less. It backfired as did so many ploys during the election campaign. Now that the dust has settled everyone needs to learn - and not try to dream up even more bizarre conspiracy theories that even the protagonist admits did not exist!!
Joseph Calleja
Aug 11th 2008, 21:54
Politics is such a dirty business !
mark tanti
Aug 11th 2008, 21:47
Leaving the police inquiry by the side, Wasn't Dr Vassallo himself who admitted that there was no conspiricy against him. John Mizzi you insulted badly Dr Vassallo when saying that he had to agree with the police other wise the PN will make his life miserabbly. Every one knows Dr.Vvassallo and that he is not the person who acts in such a manner. (normally things like these happen in the MLP) As John Mizzi said we must surely appriciate what Dr Vassallo did for our country especially by supporting the EU accession. issue which made the MLP loose two general elections. John Mizzi I do not believe that you are an AD supporter because your comments are typical of an MLP supporter. AD supporters are mainly ex PN supporters who do not comment the manner you did or if I am mistakeny then you should form part of the MLP..
Enzo Cachia
Aug 11th 2008, 21:45
Some ten years ago, my father sold his old car to a dealer. The latter failed to transfer the car to the new owner. During the next two years my father was summoned to court no less than five times because of traffic contraventions which took place after the car was sold to the dealer.
Although he had produced an affidavit he had to attend court sittings to declare that he was not the car owner. It was only after the dealer and the new owner decided to make the final trasfer that my father was not summoned again to go to court.
Dr Vassallo`s case goes back ten years as well. Now as I see it somebody has not completed the transfer of shares and Harry, a former director of a company he owned some ten years back still carries the onus of this company. Now we decide to jail somebody simply because a middle man has not carried out his duties.
carmen caruana
Aug 11th 2008, 21:38
Did Vassallo spend a jail term or paid what he was accused of?! If he's not guilty I wonder if it realy wasn't a conspiracy.
i still believe it's a conspiracy.
A Daley
Aug 11th 2008, 21:32
"The sergeant in those days was studying for his exam to become an inspector and it seems he was not getting much work done..." the report establishes.
What a very simple solution so that this kind of police "gross incompetence" stops.
This (now) inspector should therefore be sacked!
Zimbabwe at it's best!
Saviour Sammut
Aug 11th 2008, 21:29
Is it a coincidence that the Net TV reporter on that particular day asked him about something (as usual out of context to try to embarass him) and barely a few hours later a letter of arrest is presented to DR Harry Vassallo about the same case. Now, Mr Joe Farrugia may believe the NET TV (or Super One for all that matters) creed but unbiased people will surely not. Come come, pull another leg dear Police Commissioner. How about an independent inquiry please?
Franco Grima
Aug 11th 2008, 20:58
ADRIAN CARDONA
yes i read it so whatt!
G Camilleri
Aug 11th 2008, 19:15
@I Abela: your reference to the brain in the head implies that Harry Vassallo doesn't have one considering that he concluded that there was no conspiracy.
What would have convinced you that maybe there wasn't a conspiracy after all? It seems that Vassallo's own conclusions are not enough for you.
Jean Paul Galea
Aug 11th 2008, 18:19
I might agree that the timing was incorrect, but i still believe that Dr Harry should pay for not filing the vat return like anyone else. If i had a business and i am not a politician i would end up in jail for 2 years. How come our politicians seem to be above the law? Being a politician involves having further duties and responsibilities and not only perks. If he is innocent how he is claiming he should go to court and prove himself right like anyone else that's the difference between democracy and the banana republic in which we live.
joe cordina
Aug 11th 2008, 17:58
And above all this has harry Vassallo paid his dues to society??? I wonder
Adrian Cardona
Aug 11th 2008, 17:20
@Franco Grima
"And thats how they won the election .... imzazen"
Have you read the MLP report on why they lost the election?
Jeremy J Camilleri
Aug 11th 2008, 17:01
Lets llook at it this way...Most of the people commenting on this blog have dedicated their past weeks to attacking the taxpayers money being spent on the Maltadockyard...
Here is a clear cut case of a department, which siphons large amounts of cash from the taxpayer's money, displaying, not for the first time, mismanagement and incompetence......
So its not always ouch is it?
C. Camilleri
Aug 11th 2008, 15:55
The case of H. Vassallo shows the poor state of inefficiency and apathy that our police force is in. After so many other blunders it seem obvious a thorough restructure of the police force is called for. Should a police sargeant who neglect his work and caused so much trouble get his promotion. Common discipline procedure applied at every place of work calls for the person at least to be demoted. Can any one say what kind of discipline this Inspector will exercise on his subordinates knowing his past?
Now we have an other shameful news. That the many vat offences are usually resolved through Presidential pardon. So those businessmen who cheat us of our money instead getting what they deserve are given Presidential pardon. What justice is this? Is this not encouraging others to do the same? It is a shame that the President work has been reduced to such a low state. Now what about Harry? Did he pay his fine? Is he going to jail? Or has his offence been pardoned?
Now wonder someone named this island "the island of mickey mouse".
Joseph Caruana
Aug 11th 2008, 15:50
@ I Abela
THe answer to that question is very simple. Charlon Gouder and Lou Bondi are not court reporters like Ray Abdilla (the Net TV reporter who had originally put the question to Harry).
I simply can't understand why an explanation which was perfectly acceptable to Harry Vassallo (in his own words) is not acceptable to you.
Tony Caruana
Aug 11th 2008, 15:16
" An internal Police inquiry " Indeed
Tell me another Jack !
Everyone knows the police are one big family and they look after their own Kind !!
Michael Pace
Aug 11th 2008, 15:15
What's the use of an 'internal police inquiry' for judging police action?
Robert Callus
Aug 11th 2008, 14:40
So no one thinks it's at least a bit fishy that the arrest warrant was sent in the worst possible moment concerning Harry's electoral campaign? Come on. It may have been technically legal but in no way I could believe there was malice involved, that it was a mere coincidence
Joe Farrugia
Aug 11th 2008, 14:37
For those who still question the conduct of the PN or NET TV,
here's what the report above says:
" He (Dr Vassallo) told the police that he had discovered that the NET News journalist
had found out about the October 2007 sentence through the law courts documents.
"So, to give my opinion, I no longer believed that there was a conspiracy
which involved the police". "
A Court sentence against anyone, including Dr Vassallo, is public and publicly available.
So the NET TV journalist was doing nothing more than quoting to Dr Vassallo
the Court sentence against him and asking him whether he was going to pay up.
Someone here asked for compensation for Dr Vassallo. Unbelievable!
It is he now who should declare whether he's going to pay the fines ordered by the Court.
Any other citizen would have to. Dr Vassallo is not above the law. Or is he?
I Abela
Aug 11th 2008, 13:52
Whoever thinks that this is not a conspiracy, Think Again. That is why god included a brain in your head, not just to keep your head round, but to absorb, analyse, and reason things out. NET news revealed the warrant, hours (not days), before it was actually served. NET News=PN !! How come something like this escaped journalists such as Lou Bondi or Charlon Gouder? Lou Bondi for example didn't hesitate to make public the fact that one of AN's candidates had a previous sentence relating to drug abuse. If there was a way for Lou Bondi to know about Harry, he would have known. And if he would have known, he would have made it public, surely. Now all of you remember JPO case, right? Just the Same. An investigation cleared him of all charges. Yet all the evidence points directly at him, but still, he was found innocent. That goes to show how our Legal System is being manipulated by the people in power. And beleive me...that is not funny. Same people in power for a very long time...Just look at Zimbabwe and Cuba.
Lawrence Attard
Aug 11th 2008, 13:50
So does it mean that Mr. Vassallo will have to go to jail now? Or is it that since he is a politician like Mr. Gonzi and Mr. Sant, he gets immunity?
Nobody is telling us whether the Court ruling has to be obeyed or not.
E. Azzopardi
Aug 11th 2008, 12:53
Roman Catholic Malta for you. U Alla ibierek, nobody has anything on his or her concience. I am all of those involved , ALL.
Joseph Agius
Aug 11th 2008, 12:11
So where does Dr Vassallo now stand? Just an almost incredible, unhappy coincidence for him, ans a very happy one for the NP! BUt do the charge and the sentence still stand?
laurence schembri
Aug 11th 2008, 11:44
Lies, lies and more damned lies, he main point is, will Harry Vassallo be compensated, either from the political culprits/conspirators or come to think from the police for sheer incompetence.
Knowing Harry, he will not libel, gentlemen of his ilk are of a different class.
P. Attard
Aug 11th 2008, 11:28
Even though the article explains that the sergeant wanted to clear his to-do-list since his wife got pregnant it still doesn't explain how the NET TV journalists got to know about that.
sarah vella
Aug 11th 2008, 11:28
John Mizzi
That's exactly right! This GonziPN does everything underhandedly and then spins every negative issue so that he comes out looking like a saint (remember his uncle?). That is exactly what I feel as well - that people should not make an effort to vote (I haven't done for years now!) until the MLPN conspiracy regarding this issue is settled and minority parties are given the respected chance they deserve. Why is it so important that large parties get into power anyway? What good have they done. Look at Malta now - 20 years of PN and all we have is over 3 billion euros in debt and rising, a growing deficit, potholes on our roads, the pitiful state of our environment, no country parks and soon 16 skyscapers changing our skyline. Yet the GonziPN are crafty enough to spin it into a positive image - Smart Island. It's just unbelievably amazing how blind the majority of the people are!
Rachel Galea
Aug 11th 2008, 11:08
I will not go into the consipracy theories as these will always remain so. I would only like to say that Dr. Vassallo, a Lawyer by profession, should have paid more attention to his case and been honest enough to own up his 'sin' before it was exposed ...... saving himself the trouble and embarassment on the eve of the election.
Louis Gatt
Aug 11th 2008, 10:27
What a coincidence!
Joseph Caruana
Aug 11th 2008, 10:26
Cue the conspiracy theorists claiming that Harry Vassallo had a gun pointed at his back when he said: "So, to give my opinion, I no longer believed that there was a conspiracy which involved the police"
Franco Grima
Aug 11th 2008, 10:16
And thats how they won the election .... imzazen
John Mizzi
Aug 11th 2008, 10:01
I fear that Dr Vassallo had to agree with the Police which I believe is driven by the PN spin machine otherwise they will continue to make his life hell. In the 1980s Labour thugs will bash your door down and leave you for dead. In the 2008s the Nationalist thugs wearing suits will do all the dirty work behind the scenes and still make your life like hell!
Dear Gonzi we are not stupid! Please stop playing the innocent saint! We really hate your party's dirty games. Shame on you all!
I think that if the electoral system is not changed and made fair for small parties like AD we should boycott all elections!!!!
Dr Vassallo should be appreciated for the huge contribution he gave to Malta and Gozo sacrificing his family life for a long number of years and all he gets is an Arrest Warrant on Election Eve. What a disgrace on the Maltese Society!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Aug 11th 2008, 09:30
Why am I not surprised?
Shades of istra next..........