Former Attorney General Silvio Camilleri had recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the President’s former right-hand man Olaf Terribile but found no grounds for criminal proceedings to be initiated, sources told The Times yesterday.

However, the Public Services Commission has not pursued any disciplinary action as it deemed that the case had been referred to it after the end of the prescription period, which varies from one to three months depending on the circumstances.

This decision has been challenged by both the Attorney General and civil service head Godwin Grima, who insist the case was submitted within the stipulated timeframe, the sources said.

The case now seems to be at a standstill, with the PSC refusing to examine the allegations.

It is not known what Mr Terribile may have done for the AG to have seen grounds for disciplinary proceedings to start against him.

Last July, President George Abela said he had lost faith in his head of secretariat, who had stopped working the month before, and called for an inquiry to “establish the facts” after it came to his attention that Mr Terribile may have leaked confidential documents to the press.

The inquiry’s findings were then passed on to the Attorney General for advice on how to proceed – advice which was not made public.

So far, all the main players in this case have chosen to remain silent, including Alfred Fiorini Lowell, who headed the board of inquiry, the Office of the President, Mr Terribile, Dr Grima and the Attorney General.

Allegations against Mr Terribile were originally made by the President’s public relations officer, Marica Mizzi, who said that during a state dinner she was told Mr Terribile had tried to pass on confidential documents to reporters. The person Ms Mizzi said had given her the information later declared he had not accepted documents from Mr Terribile.

Her allegations surfaced after a series of newspaper reports alleging financial irregularities within the Office of the President.

Mr Terribile has since returned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.