Updated 8.03pm - Added PN reaction
Lawyer Frank Testa is to lead an inquiry into claims that "two senior politicians" directly intervened in a case of alleged drug trafficking, the Office of the Prime Minister said this evening.
The allegations were published by Malta Today last weekend, with a report in the newspaper claiming that two Gozitan youths arrested on drug trafficking suspicions in 2014 were allowed to change their police statements a couple of days later following political intervention.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had subsequently said that he would order an inquiry into the claims, with Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil insisting the investigation had to be an independent one that ensured "the whole truth is revealed."
Dr Testa is a partner at legal firm Mamo TCV, which describes him as "one of the country's main points of reference in hospitality law" and notes that he has advised the government on the drafting of "various pieces of legislation in the field."
'Two days too late' - PN
In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said that the announcement of Dr Testa's appointment came two days too late.
The delayed announcement meant that evidence related to the case could have been manipulated.
The PN added that the Prime Minister was "hiding the inquiry's terms of reference, who the other inquiry board members are and the inquiry deadline."