A “verification and certification process” of PN leadership hopeful Adrian Delia’s assets has not been completed yet, the Times of Malta has learnt.
On August 15, Dr Delia said he would publish his declaration of assets after an audit firm assessment. He had initially said he would only publish such a declaration if he became party leader but later declared it would happen before the leadership election.
Asked about this, Dr Delia replied that the final election would be held on September 16.
READ: We asked PN candidates to reveal their assets and liabilities
Dr Delia and fellow leadership candidate Chris Said will face-off in an election open to all card-carrying PN members, who number about 20,000, after placing first and second respectively in a first round election which saw Alex Perici Calascione and Frank Portelli eliminated.
The Birkirkara lawyer said he had submitted all the necessary documents to the audit firm but was unable to say when the findings would be made public.
He said the process involved lengthy verifications with the banks and him signing many documents authorising the audit firm to conduct the process.
READ: PN Council asks Delia to consider his position
Questioned about claims that funds from a prostitution ring in London were filtered through an offshore client account in his name, Dr Delia said he could not remember whether he had ever opened or closed such an account.
“I cannot exclude it completely”, he said.
Asked if he had spoken to his client to jog his memory, Dr Delia said that his client had no recollection of such an account either.
He admitted that if such a client account had existed, he would have been legally responsible for it.
He said he had not managed to trace the bank account in question and neither had the bank.
Asked if he was simply hedging his bets by saying he could not remember, Dr Delia said he was telling the truth. He invited this paper to inspect all the relevant documents in his possession rather than just relying on the documents published by blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia.
“If you are seeking the truth, then you can come see them,” he said.