The police have documented evidence pointing towards corruption and falsification of signatures connected to government direct orders running into the hundreds of thousands of euros, the Times of Malta is informed.

In the wake of corruption allegations at the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools made by its CEO, Philip Rizzo, the police economic crimes unit widened its investigations, sources said. As a result, they added, the probe now also covered similar corruption claims made by a Gozitan contractor in 2015 involving Edward Caruana, who was also mentioned by Mr Rizzo in his allegations.

Mr Caruana was engaged on a person of trust basis at the agency, which falls under Education Minister Evarist Bartolo.

“A number of police officers are working on this sensitive case, which is likely to lead to the arraignment of one or maybe more public officials in connection with serious criminal offences, including possible corruption,” the sources said.

Preliminary police investigations indicated that massive amounts, running into the hundreds of thousands of euros, were involved, the sources added.

The case was passed on to the police by the Education Ministry at the beginning of September after an internal inquiry found prima facie there was enough evidence to merit a criminal investigation. The story became public last Sunday when MaltaToday carried an item includingd comments by Mr Bartolo confirming Mr Rizzo’s departure and the removal of Mr Caruana from his post.

This newspaper reported yesterday Mr Rizzo’s lawyer challenging the government’s statement that Mr Rizzo had resigned his post. Arthur Azzopardi said his client was on long sick leave due to ill health after filing the corruption claims.

In comments on Monday, Mr Bartolo shrugged off any political responsibility for what happened in view of the fact that Mr Caruana was directly appointed by him at the FTS and had been made responsible for multimillion-euro construction and refurbishment projects at government schools across the island.

“I would have had to shoulder political responsibility if it resulted that I tried to hide abuse,” the minister said, reiterating that he had removed Mr Caruana as soon as the internal inquiry indicated abuse.

He insisted that he had given instructions to “do what was necessary” when, in the summer of 2015, Giovann Vella, a Gozitan contractor, claimed he had been asked for a €30,000 bribe by Mr Caruana.

In that case, the police instituted libel procedures against Mr Vella.

This newspaper has since learnt that Mr Caruana is now reporting for work at the government experimental farm, known as l-Għammieri.

“He is carrying out duties within the Rural Development Department as a senior officer under the remit of the director general,” a government spokesman said.

Mr Caruana used to work for that department before being engaged as a person of trust by the ministry.

Mr Caruana’s brother, Joseph, the permanent secretary at the Education Ministry, also served at the rural department prior to Labour’s election to power in 2013.

Foundation chairman

The Times of Malta yesterday reported that the chairman of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools was Saviour Falzon, having obtained the information from the foundation’s website.

However, this newspaper has been informed that Mr Formosa was replaced by Emanuel Camilleri last June.

The error is regretted.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com