The Attorney General is still analysing a report compiled by the Internal Audit and Investigation Department into claims of misappropriation of public funds at Luqa council, according to a spokesman for the AG’s office.
The report was finalised by the IAID in August and passed on the Attorney General to determine whether anyone at the Luqa council should face criminal charges.
At the centre of the investigation was the council’s former executive secretary, Michael Borg, who stepped down earlier this year after reaching pensionable age.
The alleged mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds dates back to 2007 and allegedly involves thousands of euros.
The report alleged that Mr Borg used to write out cheques in the name of council employees and ask them to cash the cheques since he needed money for the petty cash kitty.
The investigation found discrepancies in the receipts of payments which were covered by the council’s petty cash. There were also discrepancies in other council receipts and in cash paid by the council for certain services rendered but which were not covered by receipts.
According to the report, when questioned by investigators Mr Borg denied pocketing the cash and said the money involved was used to cover irregular expenditure by council members.
One of the many documents being analysed by the Attorney General and which is part of the IAID dossier is a Bank of Valletta council cheque made payable to Mr Borg. The cheque for €4,720 was issued in May 2008.
According to the report, the relative invoice was issued by a contractor, Ell’s Urban Services Ltd, for asphalting work on a number of streets in the village.
The total amount invoiced for the work was €4,720 – the same amount on the cheque in Mr Borg’s name.
This particular invoice is different to others issued by the same company which carry the company’s letterhead. Other invoices also included signatures by the company’s representatives.
When confronted with this documentation, the contractor told IAID that his company had not carried out the work listed, adding that he had also never seen the cheque.
He also told investigators his company had not carried out work for the Luqa council since 2006.
The report also found that Luqa mayor John Schembri used to sign blank cheques for the executive secretary.
Contacted soon after the IAID report had been concluded, Mr Schembri had told this newspaper the cheques he signed were always those Mr Borg asked him to sign for petty cash.
Mr Borg, who has been contacted for a reaction on several occasions, has declined to comment.
The Internal Audit and Investigations Department is also investigating the Sliema council over the extension of a tender way beyond the amount the council could legally authorise without issuing another call for tenders.
Sources said this investigation has not yet been concluded.
mxuereb@timesofmalta.com