Nearly four months after the government’s corruption watchdog flagged Jimmy Magro’s attempt to demand a cut from a public tender, the police, who insist that investigations are still “ongoing”, have pressed no charges.
The delay has raised eyebrows and fuelled speculation that the probe had been relegated to the back burner, amid accusations by the Nationalist Party that the police force has been ‘hijacked’ by the government.
In fact, PN leader Simon Busuttil has already pledged that if elected prime minister, he would fire commissioner Lawrence Cutajar on the first day in office.
He allegedly asked bidders to pay for a €5,000 holiday that he had in Alsace, France
The case came to light last January, when the Commission Against Corruption concluded that Mr Magro – in his role as executive chairman of the Major Projects Coordinating Agency which was set up in June 2013 under Malta Enterprise – asked for a €25,000 cut in return for the adjudication of a waste recycling contract. Moreover, he allegedly asked bidders to pay for a €5,000 holiday that he had in Alsace, France, in 2014.
The anti-corruption watchdog headed by Judge Lawrence Quintano concluded that this was “a case of corruption or an attempt at corruption” by a public officer, which should ultimately be decided by a court.
Subsequently, Mr Magro, who between 1991 and 2003 served as the Labour Party’s general secretary, was suspended from work.
While he is denying any wrongdoing he is still receiving his basic pay of around €50,000 a year.
More than three months later, nobody has been arraigned to court fuelling doubts that the investigations had either stalled or were not being given priority.
Read: Jimmy Magro gets half pay despite suspension on corruption claims
A spokesman for the Commission Against Corruption declined to comment when the Times of Malta sought its reaction, saying by law its obligation was to send the report to the Justice Ministry.
A spokeswoman for the police told this newspaper that investigations were still “ongoing” but declined to comment on the reason why no charges had been yet pressed.