Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil has accused the government of “lying blatantly” over the police probe on an alleged racket in the issuing of residence permits by Identity Malta.
He said it was not true that it was Identity Malta itself, in particular its executive chairman Joe Vella Bonnici, who had prompted the investigation. “Minister Carmelo Abela is lying when he says that the investigation was started by the agency itself,” Dr Busuttil told the Times of Malta while reiterating his call for an independent inquiry.
“I can vouch for that because I have the same source of information as the minister himself and I will not allow him [Minister Abela] to lie blatantly to the public like this.
“Joe Vella Bonnici had no idea what was happening under his very nose and he should be held responsible and kicked out. As should the minister himself,” Dr Busuttil insisted.
The Security Committee - which includes the prime minister, Dr Busuttil, Mr Abela and the heads of the forces, discussed the case on September 10.
Mr Vella Bonnici gave a presentation on the state of affairs at Identity Malta.
Sources said that while referring to the Joe Sammut case, Mr Vella Bonnici did not make any other reference to the possibility of a racket going on in his agency. It was only on September 23 that the government announced
that three Identity Malta employees had been arrested in relation to the issue of residency permits.
Earlier this week, the government defended the executive chairman, saying there was no reason why he should also be investigated and pointing out that Mr Vella Bonnici had been instrumental in having the police investigate the matter.
A ministry spokesperson said the "sad state" of the Department of Citizenship and Expatriates was made clear in a report prepared by the Management Efficiency Unit dated November 2013.
Upon taking over responsibility for the DCEA, Identity Malta also commissioned a leading audit firm to carry out a financial review of the DCEA. It too confirmed the serious shortcomings inherited from the previous administration, the ministry said.
By August 2014, the agency had already taken up the matter with the police and Mr Vella Bonnici specifically asked that they investigate what was taking place in the department. This led to arraignments and further investigations which are ongoing.
A security council was convened and all present were briefed with all relevant details.
"One asks whether Dr Busuttil is willfully being deceptive," the spokesperson said.