A director of the Malta Resources’ Authority awarded a tender to a company without making it known that the owners were his clients, a court heard yesterday.
Police Superintendent Paul Vassallo said that Godwin Sant – tasked with overseeing the authority’s regulations – was one of three people asked to adjudicate a tender for a project intended to bring petrol stations up to standard.
Two companies tendered for the project.
Investigations showed that Mr Sant had received €20,000 in payments from Alex Mallia, one of the owners of the company that won the tender. The payments were for consultancy work carried out between 2008 and 2009.
Mr Vassallo was testifying, before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, in the compilation of evidence against Mr Sant, 44, of Naxxar, who is charged with tax evasion, bribery, money laundering, computer misuse and using to his advantage information to which he was privy.
Mr Sant was arrested on January 18 after the newspaper Malta Today published a story alleging that Mr Sant had accepted football tickets for the UK Premier League from oil giant Trafigura at the request of pardoned rogue oil trader George Farrugia. Mr Sant was immediately suspended when the allegations surfaced.
Investigations into Mr Sant’s bank accounts showed hefty deposits made between 2008 and 2009
When approached, Mr Sant said this was “a storm in a teacup” and explained that he and his friend wanted to watch a match but could not find tickets, according to Mr Vassallo. He said he mentioned this to Mr Farrugia who then provided him with two tickets.
Mr Sant insisted he had nothing to do with oil imports when asked if he helped Mr Farrugia procure oil. His job was to ensure that the oil in petrol stations was according to standards.
Mr Vassallo added that investigations showed that Mr Sant went abroad to assist Mr Farrugia during a presentation on hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Mr Sant received no payment but was reimbursed for expenses and given a daily allowance.
The Malta Today allegations had not been proven but investigations into Mr Sant’s bank accounts showed hefty deposits made between 2008 and 2009.
These included four payments of €5,000 each from Hermann Mallia for various services on which VAT was not paid.
Investigations also showed that Mr Sant had about €400,000 in assets that were unaccounted for, including a house worth €250,000 on which he had no loan.
Mr Sant only declared his income as an MRA director as well as income from part-time lecturing at the University of Malta.
Mr Farrugia told police inspector Jonathan Ferris that large companies, like Total and Trafigura, bought block football tickets which they gave to clients. He did not recall if Mr Sant paid him for the tickets.
Police also investigated an e-mail which Mr Sant sent to Mr Farrugia from his personal Gmail account in which he attached an upcoming legal notice on the control of organic emissions.
Lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo appeared for the accused.