Presidential aide’s case ‘still being studied’ by Attorney General

The case against the former top aide of President George Abela is “still being studied” by the Attorney General more than a month after it was referred to him for advice.

At the end of July, it was announced that the government was seeking the AG’s advice on whether criminal action could be taken against the President’s former head of secretariat, Olaf Terribile. This followed the conclusion of an inquiry, headed by Alfred Fiorini Lowell, into allegations that Mr Terribile leaked confidential documents to the press.

The findings of the inquiry have been kept under wraps.

The allegations were made by the President’s public relations officer, Marica Mizzi, who said that during a state dinner she had been told that Mr Terribile passed on confidential documents to journalists. The person Ms Mizzi said had given her the information later denied saying Mr Terribile had given him any documents.

During a press conference two months ago, the President said his office had compiled an official report on the matter that would be submitted to the inquiry board.

Dr Abela said he did not know what the “leaked” documents were about but was worried about the interpretation being given to them.

The press conference was held in reaction to a series of newspaper reports alleging that Mr Terribile left his post after flagging financial irregularities.

Dr Abela rejected the accusation that his office was being extravagant and said that an audiovisual department within the Community Chest Fund, on which some of the news items centred, was set up to save money on the subcontracting of audiovisual material during events like the annual marathon TV charity fund-raising campaign L-Istrina.

The Community Chest Fund employed Noel Pace and Fabian Mizzi at the audiovisual department and questions arose because they happened to be directors in the production company Image 2000 where Ms Mizzi is also a director.