Labour’s former general secretary Jimmy Magro admitted that the party received a car donation in 2002 but he cannot remember whether it came from John’s Garage or any of its affiliated companies.
“After reading George Farrugia’s testimony in front of the Public Accounts Committee, I remembered that we were given a Daewoo car back in 2002,” he said when contacted.
“However, I don’t remember the details even though I recall it was used for a lottery to raise funds for the party,” he added.
It was used for a lottery to raise funds for the party
On Tuesday, pardoned oil trader George Farrugia revealed that he and his brothers had given the Labour Party a car at around the same time they had given former finance minister Tonio Fenech a Maltese clock worth €400. Mr Farrugia said it was his brother, Raymond, who had made the necessary arrangements with Labour official Manuel Cuschieri.
Asked whether the car came from the Farrugia family, Mr Magro said he had no reason to doubt what Mr Farrugia said, even though he could not recall the details.
“This transaction was made by Manuel Cuschieri [former party president] who at that time was responsible for Labour’s fundraising activities. I think he used it for some lottery,” he said.
“However, let me make it clear that this donation had nothing to do with the current cash-for-oil scandal.
“It was a normal donation like many others,” Mr Magro added.
Efforts made by this newspaper to contact Mr Cuschieri for the past two days proved futile. The Labour Party failed to reply to questions sent on Thursday.
Contacted yesterday, Raymond Farrugia said he did not remember the details of the case although he confirmed he had passed on a Daewoo car to Labour.
“I had arranged everything with Manuel Cuschieri. However, I am now trying to find the papers to recall what exactly happened.”
Times of Malta is informed that, although George Farrugia said the car donation to Labour was made at the same time that clocks were given to Mr Fenech and the Nationalist Party, it appears Labour was given the car in 2002.
Before the last election, Labour had used the clock donation to Mr Fenech to lambast the former minister and the Nationalist party over the oil scandal.
However, the party never revealed that the Farrugia brothers had donated a car to Labour.
Mr Farrugia’s revelation on his family’s donation to Labour is expected to be further probed on Monday when Mr Farrugia continues to answer questions before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
Mr Farrugia is considered to be heavily involved in bribing top Enemalta officials in exchange of contracts to supply oil to the company.
He was given a presidential pardon on condition he reveals the truth about what happened. The pardon could be retracted if Mr Farrugia is caught lying.