Update 4: Evidence in oil procurement case - Tancred Tabone suggested Swiss account for commissions
George Farrugia knew about commissions - Tabone denied involvement in commissions in police confrontation with Sammut
Tancred Tabone and Frank Sammut (right)
Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar told a court this afternoon how Tim Waters, an official in oil trading company Trafigura who was in charge of supplies to Malta, had a meeting in London with Frank Sammut during an international fair, and an agreement was reached for him to help Trafigura to submit the best offers to Enemalta.
Mr Cassar was giving evidence at the opening of the compilation of evidence against former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone and his former consultant Frank Sammut, who are accused of corruption and money laundering in the oil procurement process.
Mr Cassar said a Swiss bank account was specifically opened for $80,000 in commissions received in eight payments. The funds were divided between Mr Sammut and Mr Tabone.
In a subsequent police statement, Mr Sammut said he also received a further €159,000 in an account in the Royal Bank of Scotland, which he also split with Mr Tabone.
Mr Sammut used to give a copy of the invoices to Mr Tabone.
Mr Tabone would be paid in cash and some times through money transfers.
Mr Sammut had told the police that it was Mr Tabone who had suggested that the money from the commissions should be channelled to a Swiss bank account. Mr Sammut had also described how he would inform Trafigura of what Enemalta wanted.
Sammut would then ensure that the Oil Procurement Committee accepted the Trafigura tender offers, even if the product did not fully match specifications.
Mr Sammut said he received some commissions even after leaving Enemalta (in 2004), but had not received any payments recently.
Mr Sammut was a consultant to Mr Tabone while he was chairman of Enemalta (until 2005) and previously served as CEO of MOBC, Enemalta's bunkering subsidiary. He was appointed to the oil procurement committee in 2004 and gave advice on oil procurement by the corporation and also by Air Malta.
Mr Cassar said Mr Sammut was removed by Mr Tabone on instructions from Austin Gatt. The former chairman had voiced objections, saying the corporation would lose his expertise.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Assistant Commissioner Cassar said that in his statements to the police, Mr Sammut admitted that as consultant to Mr Tabone and as CEO of MOBC he had had a conflict of interest as he was a silent partner in IBOL (Island Bunker Oils Ltd) an oil trading and bunkering company in which Anthony Cassar and Francis Portelli (charged separately with corrupting Mr Tabone and Mr Sammut) were the active partners.
He also told the police that George Farrugia, the local agent of Trafigura (who was granted a presidential pardon for information on this case) had known about the commissions. He had told Mr Farrugia that Mr Tabone was also involved.
Mr Farrugia was involved in the commissions, which were known as consultancy fees.
TANCRED TABONE DENIED CLAIMS
With regard to police questioning of Tancred Tabone, AC Cassar said that in his first statement, on Janaury 24, Mr Tabone confirmed that he was chairman of Enemalta and later of MOBC. There was no management structure at the time but he was involved in the most important decision making. The Oil Procurement Committee had lacked technical expertise. He had known Frank Sammut from MOBC and he was appointed as an adviser.
When Mr Sammut's post in MOBC was terminated, he was given a Lm40,000 golden handshake. Mr Tabone said that the minister asked for the resignation of Sammut as adviser as it was ridiculous how he was paid off on early retirement and then engaged as a consultant.
Mr Tabone denied ever being in business with Frank Sammut.
About allegations of corruption, he said he was shocked and surprised because Mr Sammut was his consultant. He said that he was never offered money and never received any money.
A confrontation was held between with Tabone and Sammut. Mr Sammut found no problem in repeating his claims against Mr Tabone about splitting consultancy fees. Mr Tabone denied the allegations.
Asked if he received any bank transfers, he said that he had loaned Mr Sammut some money to buy land next to his house. Asked how much, he said he could not remember. He said it was to be paid back to his Swiss bank account. Asked what balance there was, he could not remember.
He said that the money in the account was used to go on holidays.
At one point Mr Tabone he was taken to hospital complaining of a stomach problem.
The police carried out a search of his house and his office at Forestals Mriehel and seized some documents and two hard drives.
POLICE QUESTION FRANCIS PORTELLI
Mr Cassar said that Francis Portelli of Virtu’ Group told the police how Mr Tabone and Mr Sammut were partners in IBOL along with him and Tony Cassar, but their role was kept hidden because of their posts in Enemalta.
Following a confrontation between the shareholders in 2005, Sammut was asked to resign on suspicion of wrongdoing. Agreement was reached on compensation for his shares.
Mr Portelli had told the police that he did not know of the commissions from Enemalta oil procurement to Sammut and Tabone. The police however found documents and invoices related to the case during a search in one of Mr Portelli’s offices.
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A Farrugia
Feb 26th, 08:27
Nissugerexi l'nies taghti iktar importanza lejn futur ahjar bi proposti mimlija sens bhal tal energija, whistleblower act, ligi dwar il finazjarjament tal partiti u hafna izjed... li qieghed joffri LP ghal hajja ahjar. Wara bil- ligi tal WB act dawn il hnizrijiet ta minn dejjem irrid ihaxen butu akkost ta kollox, issibu id li tkun tista tihaqhom sewwa u jiehdu l' kastig li jixirqilhom.
Ronnie Callus
Feb 26th, 07:53
Imma kif jista l-poplu ma' jinkwetax meta jara din il-kurruzzjoni kollha madwaru. Din mhiex l-ewwel wahda li qed nisimhu biha ghax kien hemm numru ta' ohrajn. Kellna tal-Fondazzjoni ta'l-iskejjel,ta'Courses ta' l-EUFl-Education, VAT,Kuntratti f'toroq, BWSC, Fairmont u tkompli l-lista. Hemm bzonn li nwaqqfu dan mill aktar fiss.
JOHAN MICALLEF
Feb 25th, 22:20
Vera borma mhawda mimlija korruzjoni qed narah dan il kas!!imma niskanta kemm hawn nies qed jitkazaw fuq il kazin ta hal safi!!qishu d droga mit 2009 dahlet malta u l kazin ta hal safi kien l ewwel kaz ta droga!!id droga kienet,ghada u tibqa f malta u kulhadd nesa li min malta harab baruni tad droga jismu queroz!!hadd ma kien irrizenja dakinhar!!
Mr C Camilleri
Feb 25th, 22:19
Hawn xi hadd ma billx subajh fiha din il-bicca xoghol taz-zejt ? X'misthija ... kulhadd irid isir sinjur minn fuq dar il-haddiem !
Il-flus huma veru l-ghodda tax-xitan !
Kieron O'connor
Feb 25th, 21:13
Folks its only the tip of the ice berg.
Look around you, with average salaries low, and the cost of every day items so high, how do you think they are being sold at such high prices?
Its not done in isolation without keeping people sweet.
Martin Dingli
Feb 26th, 23:29
Very true.
G G Debono
Feb 25th, 20:06
So
"Mr Farrugia was involved in the commissions, which were known as consultancy fees."
And on top of all this we had countless "Expert Reports" on transport, energy, etc - you name it - written up by foreign "expert" companies - which were just put on shelves and forgotten - what a waste of taxpayers' money.
M Farrugia
Feb 25th, 19:58
Irregularities and corruption is found in every country. The gravest problem is when such is institutionalised. So far there is no evidence to prove this. PL is taken a good advantage and throwing all the mud it can, 2 weeks before we are asked to cast our vote. Opportunism at its best during their positive campaign.
Massimo Gatt
Feb 25th, 21:33
The PL did nothing of the sort. Maltatoday found this corruption and they were the first to publish the documents.
R. Cilia
Feb 25th, 22:10
M.Farrugia "La Verita Offende"
Joe Bonanno
Feb 26th, 03:17
That corruption is not systemic in Malta is only your biased opinion. The oil scandal was not initiated by the PL but by a local newspaper that categorically stated that NO PL official was involved. As far as mud slinging, smear campaigning and other dirty tricks, no one, but no one, can sink as low as the PN. Usually they let their wee gnomes do their dirty work for them.
Joe Grech
Feb 25th, 19:52
Lawrence Gonzi you really ought to hide your head in shame following these revelations!
Lino Cuomo
Feb 25th, 21:05
@Joe Grech.. If LG ought to hide his head in shame tell us what JM should do vis-a-vis the famous Blokka Bajda
Lino Cuomo
Feb 26th, 07:18
What should Joseph Muscat do following the ''Blokka Bajda'' revelations???
Toni Borg
Feb 25th, 19:47
When Mr Sammut's post in MOBC was terminated, he was given a Lm40,000 golden handshake. Mr Tabone said that the minister asked for the resignation of Sammut as adviser as it was ridiculous how he was paid off on early retirement and then engaged as a consultant.
THAT MONEY SHOULD BE PAID BACK TO THE LAST CENT!!!
Pule' Carmel
Feb 25th, 19:46
With all my excellence in gaining top academic qualifications from one of the best Universities in Britain, and many years practical Industrial experience, I can now understand why I have never been invited to serve as director on one of the few government related concerns! HOw does it go , I do not play that sort of ball! on those playing fields!!
Joe Grech
Feb 25th, 19:45
People now know that according to Mr. Tabone ''there was no management structure at the time at EneMalta''.
Now who is politically responsible for such a state of affairs? Does the EU know about all this?
This issue needs to be sorted out...
Joe Grech
Feb 25th, 19:42
So these were just....Consultancy fees....'' That may explain WHY we've had Consultants all over the place under Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi!
Is it a case of the MORE, the MERRIER?
V Caruana
Feb 25th, 18:30
how could these people receive commissions in the thousands when their oil dealing is in the hundreds of millions.
Paul Micallef
Feb 25th, 18:39
If you spend 1 million a day from our money on oil, they where getting 19 thousand to 29 thousand A DAY MHUX TAJJEB MY FRIEND jew ippretendejt li jiehu iktar??? Dawn minn flusi u flusek ta, ghalek dawk il-kontijiet gholjien ta, u ghalek qatt ma ried jeqleb ghal gass GONZI AND Co.
E. Azzopardi
Feb 25th, 18:05
Unacceptable. What I cannot comprehend is that this was going on for so many years and it had to be a newspaper to bring it to light. Can somebody please explain to me how nobody was aware of what was happening?
GL Calleja
Feb 25th, 18:25
I am sure many people were aware but for some reason or other they chose not to tell? Can you imagine that?Of course you can. That is why it is the imperative duty for both leaders to insist on enacting the "Whistle Blower Act" the sooner the better. It is people who have something to hide that object to enacting that law and scandals like this have a lot to do with it.Presidential pardon my foot
manuel lia
Feb 25th, 18:03
u AUSTIN GATT U TONIO FENECH MA SSEMMEW MKIEN MKIEN U MKIEN.....min jaf kemm ilkom titolbu biex forsi jissemma AUST JEW AG eeee...imma LE ma issemmiex austin gatt avolja pruvajtu thammguh ghax aust mhux korrott..issa erbat ijiem ohra ha niskopru min hareg lemails ukoll...ghax il kbir ghadu gej....u min baghbas lemails ha nkunu nafu ukoll...kollox ha nkunu nafu...BOOMERANG BIG TIME FOR D MLP..
B. Borg
Feb 25th, 18:44
@manuel lia
Who appointed these men on the Enemalta boards?
As you put it "il kbir ghadu gej" as a certain newspaper editor anticipated too.
Roberta Micallef
Feb 25th, 20:22
Manuel, I wish to advise that NO, we are definetly NOT happy. Not because Austin or Tonio have not been mentioned, but because this has been happening under ALL our noses, INCLUDING Austin, Tonio & Gonzi. And this is what makes me sad. We have been duped and the PM & ministers say they knew nothing about it. This is the real shame !
S Sammut
Feb 25th, 21:26
Cos most probably PL just threw mud once more!
Massimo Gatt
Feb 25th, 21:36
They're directly responsible for appointing these people. These acts were under their watch and it is in their duty to stop these things from happening. They didn't. Ignorance doesn't make you innocent.
G. Cachia
Feb 25th, 17:47
Illum kien qed jixhed Ass. Kummissarju Michael Cassar. F'uhud mill-kummenti jidher li ma jaqbilhomx jemmnu lis-Sur Cassar.
Frank Sammut tnehha fuq ordni tal-Ministru ghax dan kien diga ha Lm40,000 bhala 'handshake' skond il-kuntratt li kellu u tnehha minn partner fl-IOBC minhabba 'wrongdoing' mhux waqt li kien adviser tac-Chairman.
M Formosa
Feb 25th, 17:35
Absolutely criminal, scandalous to say the least. Our elderly citizens and others in need suffer the cold winter days, because they cannot and are afraid to use an electric heater.
Angelo Vassallo
Feb 25th, 17:19
@ anton cassar
u kellna kap ta loppozzizzjoni li nesa li kellu blokka droga f kazin tieghu u nesa jirrapurtaha lil pulizija,
TONI GHALIK DAWN MHUX FATTI UKOLL ?????????????
Gordon Swain
Feb 25th, 17:50
huma fatti li la jolqtu lili u lanqas lilek, l-importanti hu li ha passi u nehhiha mil-kazin. il-punt ta l-iskandlu taz zejt jinbidel ghal kollox ghax jolqot il-but tieghi u tieghek.
Joseph Gauci
Feb 25th, 18:11
Well said Gordon!
E Zammit
Feb 25th, 18:56
@Gordon Swain
U D-Droga tolqot,tirrovina u toqtol l-ULIEDNA.
Toni Abela u Dr.Joseph Muscat dan ma jimpurtax ghalihom! L-importanti li jostru kollox, basta jharsu l-image tal-partit. Tridx thallina kwieti.
A. Vella
Feb 25th, 19:14
Mur irraguna hekk mal genituri tal vittmi tad droga u jghidulek liema hi l-aktar importanti, Sur Swain. Sew int, sew kulhadd.
t aguis
Feb 26th, 07:18
Mela jekk jkollok izjed flus fil but ghax tircevi l kont tad dawl u l ilma inqas mhux uliedna ser jgawdu wkoll. U b izjed flus fil but tista taghti edukazjoni ahjar Lil uliedna u jonqsu I problemi socjali, Li f hafna kazi ta abbuz ta droga jirrisulta Li jkun hemm problemi socjali fl isfond taghhom. Barra Minn hekk tista ttafi l problema ta Minn qijad f riskju faqar wkoll.
Richard Caruana
Feb 25th, 16:59
Very clear that everything was done hush hush.
One hopes that evidence continues to come out during the next days. No mention of involvement of ministers has come out yet, and Austin Gatt is going to be vindicated big time.
And the mud lands squarely on.... yes, you guessed!
R. Aquilina
Feb 25th, 16:51
With all this " mani puliti " going on every day , is it possible that no one was suspicious , or was everything swept under the carpet ? If the minister got rid of Sammut for suspicion of wrongdoings , why wasn't there an investigation immediately ? Like Franco Debono said " Something is very fishy "
anthony sultana
Feb 25th, 16:41
Lots of times I went to fix my car, because it was going off while I was driving,the mechanic use tell me ,that the problem is from some mixing in the fuel, ,they bring the worst fuel,this problems use to happen to me around 8 years ago.
Joseph Camilleri
Feb 25th, 16:30
"Mr Cassar said Mr Sammut was removed by Mr Tabone on instructions from Austin Gatt. The former chairman had voiced objections, saying the corporation would lose his expertise." So much for trying to frame Minister Gatt with this issue.
Alfred Vassallo
Feb 25th, 16:53
But by the same reasoning why was not Mr.Tabone removed as well? WHY???
Johnny Zammit
Feb 25th, 16:21
Skandlu .... u hadd ma u responsabli !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No resignations whatsoever
Richard Caruana
Feb 25th, 17:46
Bhal l-iskandlu tal-blokka silg?
Kien hemm riżenji?
Ronnie Callus
Feb 26th, 14:56
@Richard Caruana:
Tghaggilx siehbi ghax j'alla ma'stabitx xi blokka fil-Kazin tan-Naxxar !! Nistennew u naraw.Il-huta minn rasha tinten u ilhom jghiduha tul dawn l-ahhar 25 sena.Jghidu wkoll li jekk ma' dbidilx tqammel. Skandli kellna hafna kieku imma jsir minn kollox biex inessuhom.Qed niftakar kien hemm wahda fil-biljetti ta' l-ajru ghall Brussels inkixfu bl EU
R Mallia
Feb 25th, 16:20
No wonder certain people businesses grow instantly while other small ones keep battling for years with taxes and suffer due to other corrupt people.
Anthony Mizzi
Feb 25th, 16:16
GOOD IDEA ! Suggest Swiss account for commissions.....AND THAN FORGET ALL ABOUT IT! : )
manuel lia
Feb 25th, 16:15
veru anton cassar.sew qed tghid..kullhadd jinsa.. kellna wkoll kap tal oppozizzjoni li nesa jaghmel rapport li go kazin minn tieghu qeda titqatta bicca blokka bajda..jew bicca silg?anke farrugia sacco nesa li huh ghamel it audit...u mallia nesa li kiteb lill cordina..u toni nesa li kienet bicca blokka bajda wkoll..cardona u varist nsew ukoll li larlogg ma giex moghti minn gorg farrugia.
Mario Cassar
Feb 25th, 16:06
No wonder JM is now telling us to leave George Farrugia alone. This news is patently clear that if anything, Austin Gatt was taking remedial action to stop the criminal activities of a number of high-ranking officials at Enemalta. If he was involved, he wouldnt have taken such steps. So different than referring to killer drugs as a block of ice. L-aqwa li kecca lil Anglu u zamm lil Toni Abela.
Joseph Mizzi
Feb 25th, 16:29
So Austin Gatt was taking remedial action, wasn't he? He was putting things right by sacking people and going about his life as usual, wasn't he? And he didn't rush to report the suspected misdeeds to the Police, didn't he? Very similar to the white dust of Dr. Toni Abela, isn't it?
E Bonello
Feb 25th, 16:55
PT2. In AG case he had no proof of illegal dealings which went on therefore he could not report the matter to the police, but took the necessary steps to prevent anyone from abusing the system. Again prominent members from the MLP were in better position than AG to perceive what was happening I guess a bit too late to resign from the MLP now that they were caught.
@ JM
James Sultana
Feb 25th, 18:18
Mr Bonello neither JM nor TA had any proof. All they had was hearsay. The club president told TA that he saw two youths who could be fiddling with drugs in the kitchen.
JM had the version of what the club president told TA about two youths, and the barman's version claiming injustice as the people in the kitchen were cutting a block of ice. Ice was only mentioned by the now-PN endorsed barman
Paul Zammit
Feb 25th, 16:04
u jin naqla fwiedi biex inhallas it taxxi ... while the fat 'rats' feast on them and get even fatter ..... utterly dismaying.
David Farrugia
Feb 25th, 15:55
u ahna nhallsu kontijiet gholjin.....
anton cassar
Feb 25th, 15:51
Dil-Kelma " I don`t remember titiehed nahseb:
Kellna ministru ma ftakarx li kellu kont lis-Svizzera.
Ministru iehor ma jiftakarx li tawh arlogg u ma jiftakarx jekk marx george Farrugia id-dar tieghu !!!!
m farrugia
Feb 25th, 16:22
u kellna kap ta loppozzizzjoni li nesa li kellu blokka droga f kazin tieghu u nesa jirrapurtaha lil pulizija, vera prim ministru denju ikollna jekk xi darba jitla, liz zghazagh qed jghidilhom komplu hawdu ghax maghna ma tinqabdux.
anton cassar
Feb 25th, 16:48
Qed tispekula jien fatti qed nghid.......
Alfred Vassallo
Feb 25th, 15:50
''Mr Cassar said Mr Sammut was removed by Mr Tabone on instructions from Austin Gatt. The former chairman had voiced objections, saying the corporation would lose his expertise.''
Ha jibda il 'cleansing process' issa. Ghalura b'istess raguni ghax ma nahix il Tabone ukoll! A phrase springs to mind 'two is a company three is a crowd' But I guess that's just a phrase.
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 25th, 15:47
After a month Lejber was still unable to bring forward any definitive proof that anyone from PN was involved in this criminal case. PN so far managed to bring proof how several names from the lejber party have contacts with the Farrugia family and companies!
The more I hear lejber arguments the more I think that they point the finger at others while they have three other fingers pointing at them.
Joseph Borg
Feb 25th, 16:12
If they are not directly involved in the PN but they are sure part of their clique. So far no one has been called by the police from the LP
m farrugia
Feb 25th, 16:12
For sure there were no ministers receiving commissions. Besides persons involved are surely not all nationalists, kull hadd gawda ghax malta taghna ilkoll. And whoever knew about these commissions and left it until the election to uncover instead of going straight to police, whether they were lawyers, the pl or maltatoday or maltoday acting as pl's agent, is purely irresponsible.
Deo Catania
Feb 25th, 17:18
Joseph Aquilina ghidilna min minn naha tal-PL gie mressaq il-qorti akkuzat b'involviment f'dan il-kaz. Tina l-ismijiet imma mhux tparla fil-vojt ha naraw intix hero jew giddieb. Haga semplici tlabtek, ismijiet ta' persuni b'konnessjoni mal-PL li gew imresqa l-qorti dwar dan il-kaz. Facli bizzejjed il-mistoqsija?
N. Aquilina
Feb 25th, 20:11
Imma dan x'ragunar bazwi hu! Igifieri int qed tghidli li dawn kienu qed jghamlu dawn il qassati kollha taht imnieher il ministru u dan ma kienx jaf? Mela allura veru ma kien qed jghamel xejn A.G. Jew inkella inkompetenti! Meta ha naraw xi ministru jerfa ir responsabbilta u jirrezenja! X'misthija ta pajjiz!
Joe Bonanno
Feb 26th, 03:41
Do you have any proof that those several names did anything illegal. Or are you just smearing, mud slinging and character assassinating, like your masters. So far all the PN has done is make a lot of wild accusations without an iota of proof. Where is the proof for Austin's "frame Up?" When you have any shred of evidence tell us. I'm not holding my breath.
Joe Bonanno
Feb 26th, 03:45
m farrugia
You're categorically stating that no ministers were involved when the investigation is still in its infancy. It was not up to Malta Today to investigate criminal corruption cases, just to report them. It's the job of Gonzi's touted anti-corruption agencies to discover corruption. Apparently they weren't too successful in this case of the oil scandal.
roderick fenech
Feb 25th, 15:44
Futur fis - sod lol slogan sabih eeee... -14 days u nehilsu minn dal gvern dizonest
m farrugia
Feb 25th, 16:18
Minn din il balbuljata gawda kullhadd kemm nazzjonalisti u laburisti. U bJM iwieghed pozizzjonijiet lil kulhadd u permessi tal mepa lil kulhadd, zgur mghandhiex garanzija li jekk jitla il PL ha jkollna xi gvern onest.Ta lanqas Gonzi ghamel minn kollox biex il pulizija biex tinvestiga lil kulhadd ta liema kulur hu, taht Joseph cans li jahbi mill pulizija xi att kriminali ta xi laburist ghandna.
Joe Bonanno
Feb 26th, 03:50
m farrugia
What PL member has been interviewed by the police? Wild accusations by the PN do not mean implication in criminal activities. Gonzi did not report this case to the police because he was totally in the dark. All his agencies that he brags about did not find any corruption. It took a journalist to do the job for them. The police acted not on Gonzi's advice but on S Balzan's info.
manuel lia
Feb 25th, 15:29
@joseph micallef..habib tieghi.austin biss ghandu swiss account mill parlament shih?austin gatt mar ghand il pulizija biex jinvestigaw dan il kont.bla biza ta xejn.u bla hadd ma qabbdu jaghmel hekk..jekk inti sur micallef ghandek xi provi il kontra.kun ragel mhux carlatan..u mur irraporta...taf x'ma ghamilx austin? ma gidibx bhal ma ghamel haddiehor.
B.C. Borg
Feb 25th, 15:27
Mela min kien qed imexxi lil Malta?
biex ibellawlna il-hazin kienu tajbin, dawn is-snin kollha! Nafda fis-sod....u mela hekk naghmlu!!!
Joseph Micallef
Feb 25th, 15:12
tancred tabone suggested swiss accounts.... interesting... Even AUST or A.G. has a swiss account.... any relations????
Anthony Scicluna
Feb 25th, 15:24
So do and hundreds of people in Malta. So what?
Dennis Zammit
Feb 25th, 15:25
Even my Grandpa had a Swiss bank account . . . any connections?
David Farrugia
Feb 25th, 15:37
Hopefully we'll know before the elections. Anyway, this administration is already doomed.
Alan Cordina
Feb 25th, 15:54
politics aside. Austin Gatt already made it public that he gave access to his Swiss bank account to the Police to verify that since his (now late) mother had opened the account for her grandchildren, there were no deposits into the account.
Forgetting to declare them is not good, but that's something totally different. We should keep the comments on here, serious !
S Portelli
Feb 25th, 16:13
No but there were alot of people close to this bank account including shareholders and directors and they didn't report anything
m farrugia
Feb 25th, 16:19
he's been stating that there were absolutely no movements in his account but JM kept harping about AUST, AG - il politika il gdida ta hmieg
Neil Dent
Feb 25th, 18:09
Joseph - I think you're onto something here. I have a Swiss friend who actually has TWO Swiss bank accounts so he MUST be involved!
Police - drag in EVERYONE who has a Swiss bank account! Case closed!
Joe Bonanno
Feb 26th, 04:00
Neil Dent
How droll. I know many Maltese who have Maltese bank accounts. But does your Swiss friend have a Cayman Islands account? Because that is the equivalent to a Maltese having a Swiss account. Having a Swiss account is not illegal by and of itself. But it should be reported to parliament as other assets are.
Michael Sammut
Feb 25th, 15:11
The irony of it all. On the same page we get the filthy details of this story we have a PN advert saying "ERGA AFDA FIS-SOD: PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA". Ahna bis-serjeta' jew?
Julian Borg
Feb 25th, 16:17
PN takes action on illegalities irrespective of political allegiance. Contrast that with the MLP and covering up drug trafficking because it would tarnish the reputation of the party! SHame On You Dr Muscat!!! Shame on YOU!
Gorg Borg
Feb 25th, 16:48
Sorry Julian But i find this filthy business much and much serious than just drugs in a Kazin. YOu find drugs everywhere my friend.
Michael Sammut
Feb 25th, 16:50
After 25 years of government and a huge debt on all our heads, any so-called "action" taken is too little too late. The PN had the responsibility to prevent this happening in the first place. To implement good governance and the appropriate checks and balances. Not a pretence of it. So believe that action is taken if you will. The damage is long done and no Minister ever resigns.
Donna Parnis
Feb 25th, 23:41
@Julian Borg, the PN takes action on illegalities? They had the information on the drugs in the club since September yet they did not take it to the police, instead they brought it out in the press and have taken the bar man under their wing. and hearsay of the two boys cutting ice is not drug trafficking, How do you know they were going to sell it, how do you know it was not for personal use.??
GL Calleja
Feb 25th, 15:04
" What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive". And this is only the beginning. I wonder how many more righteous people were involved in this scandal alone? I wonder how many thousands of euros if not millions were passed on illegally at the Tax Payers's expense? And in all this time nobody from the Government was aware of this bribery goings on? Hard to believe!
Anthony Scicluna
Feb 25th, 15:25
What about the financial administrator of the MLP? Doesn't that figure in your equation or is it excused?
A. MICALLEF
Feb 25th, 14:59
If this is all true, this is not corruption, THIS IS A CRIMINAL ORGANISATION LIKE THE SICILIAN
MAFIA ! Shame !
Ser Barristan Selmy
Feb 25th, 14:59
Interesting...
nahseb li issa verament jitla z-zejt f'wicc l-ilma (excuse the pun)
Ethelbert Schembri
Feb 25th, 14:47
This crime goes beyond the commissions, just imagine all the damage in the Power Station Plants and all the damage in our cars because we used low quality fuel that they bought for good money to get sh*t in return.That amount could never calculated as it had effected so many people in so many different ways that it is impossible. A crime that no one will take full responsibility
Alfred Bugeja
Feb 25th, 16:33
And you are basing your comment on which scientific evidence Ethelbert?
Ethelbert Schembri
Feb 26th, 09:23
"Sammut would then ensure that the Oil Procurement Committee accepted the Trafigura tender offers, even if the product did not fully match specifications."
I base my comment of the investigation made by the police as I trust the police work.
Michael Sammut
Feb 25th, 14:46
"Sammut would then ensure that the Oil Procurement Committee accepted the Trafigura tender offers, even if the product did not fully match specifications."
On whose watch did this happen? How long do we go on hearing that those in power had "no inkling"? Why must the people always make good for this incompetence? And why do those in power never resign?
Victor Vella
Feb 25th, 14:42
Mela this proves that Austin Gatt not only terminated Frank Sammut's contract, he did this against the advice of the then Chairman.So Austin Gatt is as clean as a whistle. Then he terminated Tancred Tabone's contract as chairman too. No wonder the PL shut their mouth against Austin Gatt. And by the way where are the millions of dollars in commission?
Leonard Brincat
Feb 25th, 15:18
Int bis serjeta qed tghid fejn qedin il commissions. Int daqshekk fidil li tahseb li dan l istorbju kollu ghal 80,000 u 159,000 nassigurak li dawk tips kienu fejn li ghad irid jinkixef. U xorta Austin Gatt messu refa ir responsabilita bhala Ministru.
R. Balzan
Feb 25th, 15:42
Trid tkun altru b'ghajnejk maghluqa u ma tirrejalizzax li hemm responsabbilta' politika kbira x'tintrefa' minn mill-ministeru li kien responsabbli mix-xiri taz-zejt u minn min appunta lil dawn iz-zewg korrotti biex ikunu jistghu jaghmlu dak li fil-fatt ghamlu.
Michael Sammut
Feb 25th, 15:54
Best keep quiet until you hear the full story. Inkella tizloq fin-niexef siehbi. Clean as a whistle also implies good governance, and protection of the people's interest, of which I see none at all in this case.
Darrell Borg
Feb 25th, 16:09
Anyway it finishes ,the most important thing for Mr.Vella is to blame it on some on minister . On whom shall we blame the blokka il-bajda case of the safi club (next to the school) on Toni for not reporting or on JM for knowing and not reporting just for the good fake pl appearance ??
Adrian Zahra
Feb 25th, 17:23
The e-mails spoke of 10-15% commissions so, based on the $240,000 exposed thus far in the evidence, I would say that there are more secret accounts and more recipients still to be uncovered! Let's wait and see...George Farrugia promised to repay Euro 250,000 immediately on his own so these are early days ye. I imagine most of them won't uncover their secret stashes unless the police find them.!
Robert Cassar
Feb 25th, 14:38
"even if the product did not fully match specifications."
That explains the bad quality of Petrol and diesel we get in Malta!!
Gorg Sciberras
Feb 25th, 16:09
Of course it does - if your car has a power station inside.
Please choose the reason of your report below: