Lawyer's partner leaked investigation information to Silvio Zammit, court hears
Mr Zammit exiting court yesterday. Video: Paul Spiteri Lucas, Wessel de Cock
The investigation into former EU health commissioner John Dalli is still going on, although the police would not say of they plan to arraign the former PN Minister.
Testifying in the compilation of evidence against former Sliema deputy mayor Silvio Zammit, inspector Angelo Gafa asked to be allowed to skip some details from Mr Dalli's statements to the police so as not to hinder the pending investigations.
When he was asked later if he intended charging anyone else, Mr Gafa was uncomfortable naming anyone. Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar, who was also present at the hearing later said up to now there was no plan to arraign lawyer Gayle Kimberley, a protagonist in the investigations or her boyfriend, Iosif Galea, leaving a question mark open on Mr Dalli.
Mr Zammit, 48, from Sliema, is pleading not guilty to charges of bribery, trading in influence and relapsing. He was investigated by local police following a probe by the EU Anti Fraud Agency, Olaf, which, in October, forced the resignation of Mr Dalli from the European Commission.
The report concluded there was "unambiguous circumstantial evidence" that Mr Dalli knew that a former canvasser of his – later named by the Maltese press as Mr Zammit – had asked tobacco firm Swedish Match for money to lift a ban on Snus - a form of chewing tobacco that under present EU rules can only be sold in Sweden.
In his testimony, Mr Gafa gave a detailed account of the investigation in which he revealed a connection between all of the protagonists.
He revealed that Dr Kimberley, who was the head of legal services at the Gaming Authority while working as a consultant for Swedish Match, had a connection to Mr Zammit, through her lover Iosif Galea, who also works at the authority.
Mr Galea admitted to the police that he was close to Mr Zammit, he helped him organise his circus events and even kept his books.
The affair became salient to the proceedings because, Mr Gafa testified that there had been an attempt to blackmail Dr Kimberley - who is a main witness in the whole case. Dr Kimberley reported the attempted blackmail herself but did not give details, when asked by the police.
"We understand that the blackmail was connected to this affair," Mr Gafa testified.
Moreover, Mr Galea admitted that he had alerted Mr Zammit about the Olaf probe, right after Dr Kimberley was interrogated for the first time during a surprise visit by two of the agency's investigators in Portugal, where she was attending an international conference.
Throughout his testimony, Mr Gafa, went through the statements of the Maltese people involved but also of officials from Estoc, Swedish Match and even Olaf, who were interviewed in Brussels late last month.
According to different testimonies, Mr Zammit twice made a request for money in return for lifting the ban on Snus, once to Swedish Match and another time to the European Smokeless Tobacco Council.
He told the Snus lobby that Mr Dalli was willing to take risks like he did with the GMO directive.
Moreover, telephone records show that Mr Zammit had called Mr Dalli before and after he asked ESTOC for €10 million to arrange a meeting with him. This was the same meeting in which he suggested that money was required for a change in the tobacco directive.
He said that during the interrogation, Mr Zammit released a declaration to the police in which he claimed that he was acting on behalf of others and that he never implicated people who were not involved in the matter.
However, when the police pointed out that this suggested he was implicating Mr Dalli, Mr Zammit withdrew his declaration.
In his last interrogation before he was arraigned, Mr Zammit made a categorical declaration that Mr Dalli was not involved in the matter.
However, Inspector Gafa testified, that Swedish Match official Johan Gabrielsson said that Mr Zammit left him morally convinced that Mr Dalli was behind the request for money, given the knowledge that the Sliema councillor seemed to have about the process of the Tobacco Directive.
Mr Dalli had been forced to resign by European Commissioner Jose Manuel Barroso. He has always protested his innocence.
Mr Zammit was charged yesterday and he was denied bail.
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John Azzopoardi
Dec 13th 2012, 19:57
this story is getting juicer and juicer by the day..........This is what british tabloid media would love.
Neil Dent
Dec 12th 2012, 20:06
I find the frenzy of blind defence of John Dalli, by known Labour stalwarts really hilarious! How fickle can you be? Same applies in the case of Franco Debono - a PN guy goes off the rails and suddenly he's a whiter than white MLP idol! Talk about short memories, Eddie Privitera et al. Hilarious!
mark borg
Dec 12th 2012, 18:43
ara li kienu gejjin min gol PL e, x daqq ta trumbetti hawn u kemm nies skandalizzatti....
Manuel Briffa
Dec 12th 2012, 17:57
Let us suppose that the Swedish company accepted Mr Zammit's request, and that he acted entirely alone in the matter, what was he planning to do then, grab the 60 million and hide for ever since he was powerless to do anything to reverse the tobacco directive himself?
X Borg
Dec 12th 2012, 16:30
I find 'Mr Dalli was willing to take risks like he did with the GMO directive' a very worrying statement.
What's the implied story of the GMO directive ? It seems that Dalli was already on the radar with the GMO directive.
C Busuttil
Dec 12th 2012, 17:36
moral conviction ? int taf xi tfisser ?
jien ukoll moralment konvint li hawn Malta hawn hafna nies hatja ta' bosta affarijiet imma bla provi ma jiswa xejn u jista jkun li xbaljat jien. Alla hares il-qrati tad-dinja jimxu fuq moral conviction biss
Edward Mallia
Dec 12th 2012, 16:12
The "moral conviction" of John Dalli's invovement by the egregious Swedish Match official Johan Gabrielsson (sic), must take the (dog) biscuit in this matter. It beats Kessler's "unambiguous circumstantial evidence" by 1.62km. And now we have the mysterious Kimberly blackmail by persons unmentioned using "facts" unmentioned. We even have a "love interest".High comedy except for John Dalli.
O Kassar
Dec 12th 2012, 16:10
If labour sympathisers continue to defend the indefenceable then what are we to expect if they get elected to power?
Cecil Herbert Jones
Dec 12th 2012, 15:53
Caught on camera throwing a cigarette butt on the ground in Valletta. Now we'll see if the police will fine Mr Zammit or not!
Lawrence Fenech
Dec 12th 2012, 15:12
Il-hmieg kontra John Dalli ma jispicca qatt. Kull ma tisma illum il-gurnata dan il-PN hekk u l'iehor hekk donnhom ma jibzaw minn hadd u minn xejn.
j brincat
Dec 12th 2012, 14:56
Is this fiction or reality?
(jb)
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Dec 12th 2012, 14:53
Who was responsible of affecting EU regulations; is it John Dalli or Silvio Zammit?
If Silvio Zammit was asking for €60 Million to change EU regulations, was all this money going to be kept by him alone; and did Silvio Zammit conjure all this up without somebody else’s involvement?
Tangled web, all the way!
JC.
J Giardina
Dec 12th 2012, 15:53
Finally! Prosit Joseph. How anyone can imagine that Zammit would do all of this, risk trial and jail without knowing that he would AT LEAST have a welcoming ear is just laughable. How did SM know/trust to remain in contact with Zammit of all the 400,000 people on the island?
A Vella
Dec 12th 2012, 14:30
In my books there is already much more than enough for Dalli's boss asking for his resignation.
We should start teaching our children how to behave responsibly and answer to our own actions and decisions, because in this country no one accepts his own wrongdoings and always wants to hide behind something or someone.
pat muscat
Dec 12th 2012, 14:25
Mr Zammit-a former nationalist councilor- has a lot of explaining to do.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 12th 2012, 15:51
He shall soon be invited on ONE as happened with Nikky, Cyrus, John Dalli, Woods................
Mr Joe Micallef
Dec 12th 2012, 17:11
Pat Muscat is a typically socialist. First they opportunistically use possible pawns then they turn their back on them.
Tony Mangion
Dec 12th 2012, 17:38
To Demartino - You forgot to mention Dr Franco Debono. Pitty you didn't see him yesterday slashing out true facts and statements related to Gonzipn, on One T.V.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 12th 2012, 17:57
@Mangion: am I to understand that you endorse what I said?
A.Felix Busuttil
Dec 12th 2012, 13:31
what an organised mess........and the local secret service knew nothing about this?
R. Balzan
Dec 12th 2012, 14:22
Didn't know we had a secret police. If they are half as efficient as our gumshoes then we have nothing to worry about.
Saviour Sam Agius
Dec 12th 2012, 16:26
that shows you how secretive our secret police are
Alex Caffari
Dec 12th 2012, 12:53
There are obviously many facts or assumptions that have not been revealed in this case because I fail to see how Mr. Zammit could be charged with bribery simply by asking for money in order to set up a meeting with former commissioner Dalli. Furthermore, one cannot be guilty of trading in influence if one has not taken money in exchange for influencing an official decision.
Charles Sammut
Dec 12th 2012, 13:21
Don't make us laugh Alex!!!...LOL...LOL...LOL...actually you DID mangae to make me laugh...LOL..LOL..LOL..
J Grima
Dec 12th 2012, 13:36
Of course, cause 10 Million Euros is a standard fee.........
Joanne Vella
Dec 12th 2012, 12:50
Is he going to be charge also for littering? In the video he is seen throwing the cigarette!!
L. Calleja
Dec 12th 2012, 12:43
I am sure that a lot more of Dalli's involvement is to soon be revealed. When zammit realises that he is close to 10 years in prison, then all will be revealed.
Charles Grixti
Dec 12th 2012, 16:42
Not necessarily, fall guys know the score and they are ample rewarded for it. By the way, this is standard practice overseas too when a high ranking official is exonerated and the 'assistant' gets the blame. I have seen this system in action countless times. We should all be grown up enough by now to figure out the truth.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 12th 2012, 12:33
Swedish Match vice-president Patrick Hilldingson said he was morally convinced that Mr Dalli was behind ...
Who the heck is Patrick Hilldingson, what his morals are, are his own. He cannot simply accuse someone of wrong doing because he's morally convinced, only hard evidence suffices.
For all we care Mr Hilldingson could be anything from a thug or a white collar criminal.
A Galea
Dec 12th 2012, 12:46
Oh come on Mario!! How dare you criticise Mr. Hilldingson? He is absolutely impartial in this matter, represents a company which has nothing to gain from Dalli losing his job and is employed in a global industry whose conduct has historically been beyond reproach!! I wonder if he kept a straight face during his testimony. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE FARCE!!
Eddy Privitera
Dec 12th 2012, 16:13
Patrrick Hildingson could have been fooled by Silvio Zammit who may have picked up the information about Snus in his friendly discussions with John Dalli. And with this information, could have fooled Swedish Match. time will tell.
Charles Grixti
Dec 12th 2012, 16:45
I think that Swedish Match is outraged at the price quoted and not because of any corruption. If the 'fees' were more reasonable, I think, wink wink, nudge, nudge, it would have been business as usual. Why do you think plum jobs such as commissioners and lobbyists were created? Not for the betterment of mankind that is for sure.
mario camilleri king
Dec 12th 2012, 12:27
Swedish Match vice-president morally convinced Dalli was behind request for money, court hears.............then get Dalli.
Peter Murray
Dec 12th 2012, 11:39
Have the Police determined that Dalli has no case to answer for?
A.Felix Busuttil
Dec 12th 2012, 13:33
Olaf said they have no proof of Dalli being corrupt
Peter Murray
Dec 12th 2012, 14:20
I never enquired about OLAF did I-and, in any event, they were quoted as saying they possessed " unambiguous circumstantial evidence" against Dalli.Why was it that Dalli resigned again?
Victor Vella
Dec 12th 2012, 11:33
The agency’s director general, Giovanni Kessler, had said there was no conclusive evidence showing Mr Dalli was directly involved in anything illegal, but the former Commissioner was forced to resign by European Commission President Manuel Barroso because his position was deemed untenable in light of the findings.- This is a real humbug.Nonsense and stupid!Is he involved or not? Trail-by whom?
Franco Attard Trevisan
Dec 12th 2012, 12:09
According to OLAF Dalli's only 'wrongdoing' was simply that he knew about what Silvio Zammit was up to but failed to report the matter. Nothing more.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 12th 2012, 12:35
Mr Trevisan even that has to be proved, can you in all honesty say you know that I know that someone is breaking the law and I am not taking any action?
Who can read peopl's minds?
It is such a silly accusation.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Dec 12th 2012, 13:21
m.borg
I only quoted what Kessner said because Mr Vella ask for it.
I personally don't agree and am rather disgusted by the way they treated our (maltese) commissioner, at least for the time being. i fully agree with you that nobody can read people's minds.
I believe in the 'innocent until proven guilty' reasoning.
J Martinelli
Dec 12th 2012, 13:27
@ Franco AT
The mere fact (if proven) that Dalli 'knew what was going on but not report it' renders his position untenable. Surely OLAF has enough evidence, Even if the evidence is circumstantial, it may be strong enough for the police to prosecute. It is then for the Courts to determine the admissibility of such evidence during the compilation of evidence.
A.Felix Busuttil
Dec 12th 2012, 13:35
We all know that a lot of projects in Malta had a gray shade of suspicious, Power station, arriva, Jerma Hotel, free flights but nobody reported to the police in fact we were told its not true. Il polplu mhux iblah
E. Vassallo
Dec 12th 2012, 14:28
How did Silvio Zammit get all the background information on the Tobacco directive process?
Charles Grixti
Dec 12th 2012, 16:55
@Franco Attard Trevisan
Innocent until proven guilty reasoning is true for any case EXCEPT for public officials when even the hint of wrongdoing should and does see them resign or in the case of EU Commissoners, lose their jobs. It is the only right thing to do since these people no longer hold the public's trust.
Please choose the reason of your report below: