Gozo ministry officials are being investigated by the police in connection with alleged misappropriation of public funds dating back to 2008.
The electricity supply of three private residences in remote rural areas was allegedly paid for through ministry funds, when the bill should have been footed by the owners.
The State energy provider, Enemalta, is only legally obliged to supply a feed up to a certain point.
However, a recent audit at the State corporation uncovered at least three cases in which the Gozo ministry paid for this extension of supply, which ran into the thousands of euros, police sources told The Sunday Times of Malta.
The probe comes after Tony Debono, husband of the former Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, was charged with misappropriation and other corruption charges, in relation to a ‘works for votes’ scheme.
As things stand,the probe into the new Enemalta case is not pointing in the direction of the former minister or her husband
Mr Debono, who managed the construction and maintenance unit within his wife’s ministry as a civil servant, is alleged to have facilitated private works for constituents through public funds.
Ms Debono resigned from the Nationalist Party last Tuesday but has remained an independent MP.
Police sources said that as things stand, the investigation into this new Enemalta case is not pointing in the direction of the former minister or her husband.
Meanwhile, the police have still not decided whether or not to investigate similar allegations of misappropriation levelled at the current Minister for Gozo, Anton Refalo.
The Nationalist Party media have alleged that similar works were carried out as those claimed to have been done at the request of Tony Debono.
The Gozo Minister has denied the claims and challenged the PN to substantiate the allegation.
But the party’s home affairs spokesman insisted that the police should launch an investigation to “put people’s minds at rest”.
Asked to react to the PN’s claim earlier in the week, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he was unaware whether Dr Refalo was being investigated but added that it would be up to the police.
The Gozitans who spoke to The Sunday Times of Malta when the news of Mr Debono’s case first broke said the scam was “an open secret”.