Dalli police investigation is entering its final stages
Decision whether to issue any charges is expected to be taken shortly
John Dalli was questioned for several hours last Tuesday. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
The police investigation into the John Dalli case is in the final stages and a decision over whether any charges will be issued is expected to be taken shortly, police sources have told The Sunday Times.
The case has been placed under an information lockdown by Police Commissioner John Rizzo, who took a personal lead in the questioning of the former EU Commissioner and Nationalist heavyweight on Tuesday.
However, police sources said that the evidence gathering was largely concluded and investigators were now in the process of establishing if further action will be taken in court.
Mr Dalli was forced to resign as EU Health Commissioner last month when the EU Anti Fraud Agency (OLAF) concluded there was “unambiguous” circumstantial evidence showing he knew that his former canvasser Silvio Zammit asked for money from a Swedish tobacco company to lift an EU ban on snus – a smokeless form of tobacco which can only be sold in Sweden.
However, the agency’s director general, Giovanni Kessler, had said there was no “conclusive evidence” showing Mr Dalli was involved in the request by his canvasser. Police questioned Mr Dalli at length between Monday and Tuesday during a 34-hour stay at the police headquarters in Floriana.
Malta Today reported that Mr Dalli spent the night in the Police Commissioner’s office and indicated he was never under arrest, in spite of the length of his stay, and reported the former EU Commissioner had asked for the questioning to continue uninterrupted.
However, the Police Commissioner refused to confirm or deny any information and when asked if the case merited a press conference or a statement, he said on Wednesday: “Do I tell you how to do your job? I said no comment.”
A detailed set of questions sent subsequently to the police’s media office about the matter also went unanswered with the police saying it was not prudent to comment given there is an investigation.
The OLAF dossier, which sources say includes transcripts of recorded phone calls, logs of text messages phone calls and e-mails, mainly probed the role of Mr Zammit, but also that of the Maltese representative of the tobacco firm Swedish Match, Gayle Kimberley, to whom the former Sliema deputy mayor allegedly first made the bribe request.
According to Swedish Match, which filed the complaint that triggered the OLAF probe, Mr Zammit first made the first bribe request to Dr Kimberley during a meeting at his restaurant, Peppi’s, in Balluta.
The company alleged that Mr Dalli was not present when the request for money was made because he had left the meeting early.
Both Mr Dalli and Mr Zammit have strenuously denied the allegations.
According to the company, a second request was made, this time to the industry’s Brussels-based lobby group, the European Smokeless Tobacco Council.
Both Dr Kimberley and Mr Zammit were questioned in the past weeks, with the latter facing Mr Dalli at the police headquarters on Tuesday.
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40 Comments
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John Holmes
Nov 19th 2012, 20:56
The Tobacco Lobby is very Powerful, who can ever say this ridiculous frame-up doesnt happen again?, where is the doctrine of beyond reasonable doubt?, let see Kessier come up with the proof.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 19th 2012, 11:18
Gibu lil Kessler u lil Barroso biex jixdu hawn Malta ghax dawn bil-mod li mxew ma tantx nizlitli fl-istonku.
A.P.Naudi
twanny borg
Nov 19th 2012, 08:47
nispera li l-interess ta' malta veru jigi l-ewwel u mhux ingebdu biex naqdu lil xi hadd inkluz barranin.
C Muscat
Nov 19th 2012, 08:41
Is it legal to have somebody including the police to check your emails and phonecalls etc? I was under the impression that this was lawful ONLY if the police gets the authorisation in case of drug traffickers.
I hope that the police got the statement from Barroso how he arrived at his conclusions; and similarly from Kessler.
Joe Grech
Nov 18th 2012, 22:06
As a EU citizen (sic!) I must protest at the way John Dalli was treated by the E.U. He should have been considered innocent until proven guilty - a basic Human Right I imagine.
But the EU just consists of different Lobbies all pushing their own agendas. No Unity, just inefficiency, perhaps even corruption. And Baroso etc know things are very, very wrong!
Saviour Cachia
Nov 18th 2012, 21:14
There is not much to joy if by any chance Mr. John Dalli is subjected to court proceedings. Not a good image for Malta and those backing Mr. Tonio Borg have nothing to glee on. Malta will be humiliated, though everyone is innocent until proved guilty. I am more interested in this outcome, than Tonio Borg, who should have bid his time in respect of his former colleague.
Peter Murray
Nov 18th 2012, 21:02
It's all simply just a snow-job snothing will become of this charade and all charges will be dropped even if justified -just wait and see
roberto bordino
Nov 19th 2012, 08:58
If the Commissioner has carpet in his office, this is where this will be found.. swept under it!
Peppi Borg
Nov 18th 2012, 18:45
Dalli should have been dealt with, with much more respect.
Peter Murray
Nov 18th 2012, 21:03
Tell the Brussels Bully-Boy Barroso
Eddy Privitera
Nov 18th 2012, 18:27
And GonziP is hoping that with the election of a deputy-leader instead of Tonio Borg ( who has been lauded to high-heaven, so his replacement cannot surely be better !), the mess in which it is in can be forgotten !
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 19th 2012, 11:39
Who has not been lauded to high heavens ? or the memory started to shorten ?
A.P.Naudi
mark johnson
Nov 18th 2012, 18:13
If Dalli and Zammit are denying asking for money then the spotlight falls on Dr Kimberley.
Why would she pass on the request for a bribe if Zammit didn't ask her?
It says that OLAF have transcripts of recorded phone calls, logs of text messages, phone calls and e-mails.
Rizzo's "No Comment" tells me this case is far from over.
Chris Gatt
Nov 18th 2012, 17:45
“Do I tell you how to do your job? I said no comment.”
Boy does this guy need press officer. In case Rizzo hasn't realised the journalist doe snot need telling how to do his job as, by asking questions, the journalist is de facto doing his job!
R. Balzan
Nov 19th 2012, 09:23
Everybody knows that the commissioner's days are numbered. You cannot hold such an important position and be so undiplomatic in your utterances in public. Apart from a number of other issues of course.
m. borg (slm)
Nov 18th 2012, 15:23
Even if the police do nat proceed with any charges Dalli would still be left out in the cold and I guess his only way to fight this case is through the European Court of Justice.
Tony Mangion
Nov 18th 2012, 13:51
It's very unfair that some people are pushing forward the Mid Med Bank cheap transfer to the HSBC at this point in time.
Peter Murray
Nov 18th 2012, 21:04
how can accuracy and thr truth ever be unfair regardless of the timing?
Edward Zammit
Nov 18th 2012, 12:11
I do agree that Police investigations have to be quick. It is not a question of two weights and two measures - here we are talking about the reputation of Malta. If charges are not issued it does not mean that nothing had happened, it only means that legally there is not enough evidence to issue charges on any or some of the persons investigated.
Emmanuel Marmara'
Nov 18th 2012, 11:33
Has any body investigated the Tobacco Company ????????????????
Giov DeMartino
Nov 18th 2012, 11:06
"and Nationalist heavyweight"????????????????????
Guido Farrugia
Nov 18th 2012, 17:40
What's your question exactly? Do you have doubts? Of course he is.
Giov DeMartino
Nov 18th 2012, 18:01
You answered the question, Guido.
Victor Laiviera
Nov 18th 2012, 18:05
Mr DeMartino, who specialises in raking up events that took place 30 or 40 years ago, wants us to forget that, less than 2 years ago, John Dalli was still a PN Minister.
Giov DeMartino
Nov 18th 2012, 18:50
Mr Laiviera things are in the habit of changing. For example this is the first time that you have not ignored me completely. Thanks for that. There was a time when Dom Mintoff, may he rest in peace, was the greatest patriot etc etc.....In a matter of days he became a traitor and was even assaulted on leaving parliament. Nothing can be taken for granted not even that John Dalli votes PN.
Eddy Privitera
Nov 18th 2012, 22:08
Giovann: How can you be sure that John Dalli will be voting for GonziPN ? I am sure he will not. I believe he will invalidate the vote !
Giov DeMartino
Nov 19th 2012, 09:18
Sorry Ed. I did NOT say so!
Brian Gatt
Nov 19th 2012, 09:30
Grow up the whole lot of you its not about whom he will vote for...the question is how can thepeople ever trust Gonzi, he is using the Juzak u Jarmik tactic even with those close to him ahseb u ara what he will do to us common people....he will brush us off like dirt from his shoes
Giov DeMartino
Nov 19th 2012, 11:00
I DID NOT say so, Ed.
Giov DeMartino
Nov 19th 2012, 15:45
@ Brian Gatt: I do not know what those tactics are...So pl. can you explain yourself better?
Mark Mallia
Nov 18th 2012, 10:47
Police investigations concluded in a couple of weeks.....wow that must be a record. Is this a case of two weights and two measures? What about those who have had to wait for years to be told whether they are going to be charged or not (for much less serious allegations)?
Albert Critien
Nov 18th 2012, 10:07
If no charges are issued, which I feel certain there will not be, a number of people should resign immediately
Peter Murray
Nov 18th 2012, 21:06
yeah right and the pigs will fly -with the onlty result being that the price of bacon will go up.
mark borg
Nov 18th 2012, 22:00
starting from gonzi
mark johnson
Nov 18th 2012, 10:03
Dalli and Zammit confront each other in the lock-up?
Have I read that right?
Anthony Mizzi
Nov 18th 2012, 09:32
What if no charges are issued?
Would Mr. Dalli be re-instated to his former position as EU Commissioner????
Where does that leave Dr. Tonio Borg ...or will we have two Commissioners for the price of one?
Richard Caruana
Nov 18th 2012, 10:09
No charges does not mean that nothing was wrong, just that there is no legal proof that will stand in court.
It still leaves Mr Dalli hanging until the full report is published.
Mr Dalli cannot be reinstated, trust has been lost and that's irrepearable. He'll get his pension and hopefully enjoy it. Dr Tonio Borg will continue with his march towards appointment. Simple
mark johnson
Nov 18th 2012, 10:26
The EU decided Dalli broke their rules so he is out for good.
The police have to decide if he broke the law or not.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 18th 2012, 11:04
@MarkJohnson.
Not the EU as a whole, only Barroso and Kessler. The European Parliament is dissatisfied and its members are demanding answers to their questions that OLAF persistently refuses give. Very significant that!
Mario Scicluna
Nov 18th 2012, 17:32
@Anthony Mizzi
Today, 09:32
Not a chance in Hell! the damage to John Dalli is significant, accused and vilified and wrongly accused by Barroso & Kessler. Barroso PERSONALLY wanted Dalli out of the way at all costs, Kessler's OLAF fitted the bill and left Mr Dalli hung to dry based on infamous 'circumstantial evidence'. No hard proof, nothing! Damage is done. That's it!
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