All the members of the police team investigating former European Commissioner John Dalli and his ex-canvasser Silvio Zammit had agreed that there were enough grounds to start legal proceedings against both of them, former Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Cachia said yesterday.

He was giving evidence before the House Privileges Committee during a brief 20-minute meeting. The committee is considering the breach of privilege complaint raised by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat against Opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

Dr Muscat had protested after Dr Busuttil claimed the government had interfered in the police investigation concerning Mr Dalli. Dr Busuttil had refused to retract his comments, arguing they were borne out by a series of events.

Mr Zammit is facing charges of bribery and trading in influence over allegations that he asked for €60 million from lobbyists to help lift an EU ban on the smokeless tobacco snus while Mr Dalli was EU commissioner for health. The case was first raised by the EU’s anti-fraud agency OLAF, forcing Mr Dalli’s resignation in 2012.

The police investigative team was made up of former commissioner John Rizzo, Mr Cachia, Michael Cassar, who at the time headed the Economic Crime Unit, and Insp. Angelo Gafà.

Last month Mr Cassar told the committee he had been under the impression that Mr Rizzo had intended to arraign Mr Dalli.

At yesterday’s sitting, Mr Cachia, now Commander of the Police Academy, confirmed he had been involved in the investigation of the case. He said Mr Rizzo had decided to carry out a fresh investigation and not rely on the agency’s findings.

Mr Cachia confirmed the conclusions of a report finalised by the team. He said his active involvement in the investigation ended in December 2012, just before the general election. When the election date was announced at the end of that year, he transferred his time and energy to electoral preparations.

He said he had never been asked to meet the new police commissioner [Peter Paul Zammit, appointed in March 2013] to discuss the case. The other members of the team were re-assigned after April 2013 and he was re-assigned at the beginning of 2014. He again reiterated that he was not involved in discussions about the case since December 2012.

The Committee will hear evidence by Mr Gafa after the Christmas recess.