A spokesman for the Fundazzjoni Duminku Mintoff has compared its jailed president to persecuted Maltese folk hero Manwel Dimech.
I’ve made mistakes and I’m serving time for them
Established hours after the passing of former prime minister Dom Mintoff, the foundation has been disowned by both the Labour Party and Mr Mintoff’s daughters, even though the organisation originally claimed the two women were its patrons.
The Times revealed that the foundation president Josef Grech is currently serving time behind bars for fraud, with two other pending cases on similar charges.
Mr Grech has also been charged with defiling a 15-year-old girl, while he is also testifying – this time as the victim – in the case against the girl’s relatives, who are charged with the attempted murder of Mr Grech after allegedly attacking him with a sickle.
Speaking over the phone from Corradino prison, Mr Grech told The Sunday Times that he had never defrauded Bank of Valletta, HSBC and the Government as originally reported, but was actually in prison “on a completely different charge”.
“I have no idea where the claims came from. I’ve got nothing to do with defrauding those banks,” Mr Grech said.
“I’ve made mistakes and I’m serving time for them, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t learnt my lesson,” he added.
In a statement, a foundation spokesman hit out at the PL, which has made it clear it has nothing to do with the foundation or its founders. “The PL shouldn’t be shocked that the foundation is led by a person who’s currently in prison – one of the party’s greatest idols, Manwel Dimech, was also imprisoned on various charges”.
PL deputy leader Toni Abela has been tasked with chairing a special committee to oversee official initiatives carried out in Mr Mintoff’s memory.
But the committee was mocked by the foundation spokesman, who said it was only put together days after the creation of the foundation.
The foundation’s aim, the spokesman insisted, was to pay tribute to Mr Mintoff, to ensure he was never cast aside as he had been by those who insisted on calling him a PL traitor even after his death.