Updated - Adds PN reaction Simon Busuttil tweet, - A police raid at the Government Property Department last January was not part of a criminal investigation, the Times of Malta has learnt.
The police were ordered to secure the department files on January 20 when the National Audit Office released its findings on the Gaffarena scandal that led to parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon’s resignation.
The following day department employees were not allowed into their offices as the police scoured the building and sealed files.
But what many believed was the start of a criminal investigation into the Gaffarena affair turns out to be otherwise.
“This was not an investigation but an operation to secure documents that will be seen by the Commission,” the police replied yesterday, 19 days after this newspaper asked whether their action was linked to any criminal investigation.
A police spokesperson said “Commission” was a reference to the board set up by the Prime Minister in the wake of the NAO report to oversee the department’s administration.
PN calls for immediate investigation
In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said that the fact that the police raid was not part of an investigation was a matter of concern.
"This confirms that the police are not only not investigating Castille despite it being implicated in the Auditor-General's report, but it has not launched any investigation at all."
The PN said it was continuing to insist that the police should launch a criminal investigation about the facts which emerged from the report, particularly the collusion which also involved former Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon.
"The Auditor-General's report shows that the Gaffarena scandal was conceived and abusively facilitated from Castille and it is the duty of the Police Commissioner to investigate it immediately and not sweep it under the carpet," the PN said.
‘Documents were secured’
The board is headed by Judge Lawrence Quintano, who heads the Corruption Commission and is tasked with running the department’s day-to-day affairs pending its transition to an authority.
The NAO report found that businessman Mark Gaffarena had gained €3.4 million in land and cash for the sale to government of half a building in Valletta valued at €900,000. The audit office concluded there was collusion between Mr Gaffarena, top officials at the property department and Dr Falzon.
The parliamentary secretary resigned but insisted he was innocent and had never interfered in the deal. Dr Falzon even accused the NAO of political vindictiveness.
As a result of the findings the government froze all significant transactions at the department and has initiated a consultation process to create an authority.
Planning Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri told The Sunday Times of Malta two weeks ago that she would like the laws transforming the department into an authority approved by Parliament before the summer recess.