Opposition leader Simon Busuttil today denounced the fact that he had not yet been contacted by the police commissioner 12 hours after he had flagged corruption claims against Keith Schembri. 

However, Dr Busuttil said he would not meet with the commissioner were he to contact him because he did not trust him.

This alone, Dr Busuttil said, was further testament to the fact that the country’s institutions had been paralysed by the Labour government.

Dr Busuttil was addressing the media outside the law courts in Valletta, immediately after he filed an application to present “clear and detailed evidence” that the prime minister’s top aide received commissions from the citizenship scheme. 

According to the PN leader, Mr Schembri received two €50,000 payments from Nexia BT owner Brian Tonna, who in turn owned a secret Panama company by the name of Willerby Trade Inc.

Money was deposited in a Pilatus bank account, belonging to Mr Schembri. The latter has denied such claims saying the transaction was related to a loan he had given Mr Tonna in 2012.

In his comments, Dr Busuttil said this incident was further proof that corruption had become “institutionalised” and was spreading to sectors such as the citizenship scheme programme.

Apart from calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation, the Opposition leader reiterated his call for the police to arrest and charge Mr Schembri in court on corruption and money laundering which carry an 18-year jail term.

Read: Schembri accused of passport sale kickbacks by Busuttil

Dr Busuttil said the Prime Minister should also be questioned by the police on suspicions of being an accomplice.

“Twelve hours have elapsed since I made these declarations but the Prime Minister is still silent... We have not heard of any action being taken by the police. This is clear evidence that the authorities have been paralysed," he said.

Asked if he would be presenting a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister should the latter ignore his calls to step down, Dr Busuttil said he could not imagine how Dr Muscat could face Parliament when such serious accusations hung on his head.

Questioned how he was so sure that the €100,000 deposit was money coming from the IIP scheme, Dr Busuttil said he had ”strong and clear evidence”.

“Rather than present the evidence in public I decided to go straight to the inquiring magistrate,” he said.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta signed the application. 

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