The Nationalist Party has demanded an independent investigation into how the son of former police acting police commissioner Ray Zammit had investigated a murder allegedly having links with the Gaffarena family while at the same time, he was in a business with Joe Gaffarena. This, it said, could possibly be a case of corruption in the prosecution.
Beppe Fenech Adami and Jason Azzopardi, shadow ministers for home affairs and for justice respectively, told a press conference that there had been total silence from the government since details started to emerge on Tuesday.
They demanded an independent inquiry, which, they said, should not be led by former Labour MP Philip Sciberras.
“It is essential to re-establish public confidence in the police force,” Dr Fenech Adami said.
Dr Azzopardi explained that the government had appointed Ray Zammit acting police commissioner, Director of Prisons and now head of the new agency in charge of the wardens system.
Mr Zammit was involved in a business with Joe Gaffarena, whose son Marco is at the centre of the Old Mint Street expropriation case,
Joe Gaffarena, who was granted a permit by this government for a controversial fuel station in Qormi, is the father-in-law of a man accused of murdering another man.
The prosecution in this case was led by Ray Zammit’s son, Inspector Daniel Zammit, who, together with his brother, was also involved in business with Joe Gaffarena.
The case is being heard in court behind closed doors.
Dr Azzopardi said a self-respecting government would hold an immediate inquiry and, at least, suspend Ray Zammit.
He also noted that Inspector Daniel Zammit had been boarded out within four days from the police force and was quickly given a €60,000 consultancy job with Enemalta.
GOVERNMENT REACTION
In a reaction, the government did not mention Inspector Zammit but said it had been considering advice including from the Attorney General,on the best way to handle and investigate a case involving a former police officer in a prosecution team some years back.
A decision on the method to be used will be announced once it has been taken.
The government said this case took place at the time of the former government. That included both the prosecution of the case and the formation of the company involving the same officer.
In a reply, the PN said it was the Labour government which issued the permit for Joe Gaffarena's petrol station. It was the Labour government which made Marco Gaffarena a millionaire through the expropriation deal; it was the Labour government which gave three posts to Ray Zammit and it was under the Labour government that Daniel Zammit was boarded out from the police force within four days and given a €60,000 consultancy post a few days later.