Former ambassador Anthony De Bono is maintaining his silence over serious allegations that were made about him in court last week, declining to answer questions over the matter.

Oil trader George Farrugia, who was granted a presidential pardon to turn State witness in Enemalta’s oil procurement scandal, testified last Thursday that Mr De Bono had threatened to destroy him and his business.

Mr Farrugia was on the witness stand in the case against former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone, who is pleading not guilty to fraud, bribery and money laundering in connection with the oil procurement scandal.

Farrugia claimed he had threatened to destroy him

The oil trader also claimed that Mr De Bono had made similar threats to his wife and to his lawyer Siegfried Borg Cole, who was present in court.

Sources said Dr Borg Cole was allegedly threatened while driving in the presence of Mr Farrugia and another person, when he received a call on his mobile phone.

Dr Borg Cole decided to turn the speaker on to be able to continue driving, and that was when Mr De Bono was allegedly heard threatening him.

A former ambassador to Jordan and ex-Telemalta chairman, Mr De Bono had become acquainted with Mr Farrugia during his stint as consultant with John’s Group, a family business owned by the Farrugia brothers.

Contacted yesterday, Mr De Bono declined to comment on the allegations, saying that for the time being he would stick to a short statement he released on Thursday.

In that statement Mr De Bono said he would wait to read the court transcript before pronouncing himself on the issue, adding that between 2008 and 2010, when he was employed with John’s Group, he had never asked for any illegal compensation.