Speaker Anġlu Farrugia yesterday lifted the suspension of the Opposition leader’s chauffeur Anthony Tabone, saying there was not enough evidence to warrant such drastic action, this newspaper has learnt.
Mr Tabone had been suspended since Monday on Simon Busuttil’s request.
This was after Dr Busuttil learned the driver was being investigated by the police on suspicion of misusing the fuel allocation for the Opposition leader’s official car, financed by Parliament.
In his immediate reaction, Dr Busuttil yesterday evening said he was baffled by the Speaker’s “disproportionate” decision to refer to the police the case of somebody who did not even merit a suspension.
The comment came soon after Dr Busuttil had been notified by letter of the Speaker’s latest decision.
I don’t want to jump the gun
Asked to explain the move, Dr Farrugia said: “While I understood Dr Busuttil’s decision to correctly and promptly suspend his driver, when I was going through his [Mr Tabone’s] contract I felt I could not approve of his suspension at this stage.
“I don’t want to jump the gun… I feel I cannot suspend him unless there is direct evidence pointing towards him.”
The Speaker said a person had to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, especially in this case when no charges had been filed against Mr Tabone.
“At this stage I have no indication…perhaps the vehicle has certain consumption patterns,” Dr Farrugia said.
Busuttil’s official car impounded by the court
Dr Busuttil said he was dismayed by the fact that the Speaker had triggered a magisterial inquiry (launched by the police as soon as the case was referred to them by Dr Farrugia) even though there were not even the grounds for a suspension.
“We are talking about the life of a person [Mr Tabone]. One cannot play with people’s lives in such a manner,” Dr Busuttil said.
“The least I expected from Dr Farrugia was to inform me has was referring the case to the police, in which case I would not have objected.”
Meanwhile, Dr Busuttil’s official car has been impounded by the court pending the outcome of the magisterial probe.
Sources told this newspaper that suspicions of foul play were raised when the car recently underwent repairs, prompting complaints from Parliament’s accounts department that this was happening too often.
The department’s emphasis then shifted to the car’s consumption patterns and mileage, even though the €70 weekly allowance was never exceeded.
In another development, Dr Busuttil yesterday filed a libel suit against the Labour Party over a statement issued last Monday in which it claimed he had been caught in a serious fraud case involving taxpayers’ money.
While denying the claim, the PN said that such behaviour was a clear example of the low levels to which the PL had stooped under the leadership of Dr Muscat.