The police have seized Land Department files related to the Gaffarena scandal and questioned people related to the case that led to the resignation of former planning parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon.
Police sources confirmed the police had finally taken steps to investigate the property expropriation case after news broke on March 7 that a former director at the Land Department, Charles Camilleri, sent a sworn statement on the matter to the National Audit Office.
Following the outcome of an investigation by the National Audit Office into the case, Mr Camilleri confessed that he had not told the Auditor General the entire truth.
The Auditor General referred the case to the Public Accounts Committee, although it said that the statement did not affect the conclusions of its investigation.
In his sworn statement, Mr Camilleri said he was “pressured… and threatened” by people working for the Office of the Prime Minister not to expose details that would undermine them.
He said he did not expose Dr Falzon’s involvement in the deal because he “felt threatened” by Clint Scerri, who had been handpicked by the former parliamentary secretary to join his team.
The government acquired property worth €944,500, while Mr Gaffarena received €3.4 million
The NAO investigation concluded last January – eight months after this newspaper exposed the deal – that there had been “collusion” between the Land Department and Mark Gaffarena. The government acquired property worth €944,500, while Mr Gaffarena received €3.4 million: €516,000 in cash and €2.9 million in property.
Mr Gaffarena initiated the expropriation, chose the land and was privy to inside information, which was against the law, the Auditor General found.
“Such collusive action… was in clear breach of the fundamental principles of good governance, transparency and fairness… This would not have been possible without the authorisation provided by the PS [parliamentary secretary]”.
Mr Camilleri was one of the officials mentioned in the NAO report as having facilitated the transaction. This seems to have spurred him to come forward with more facts as he claimed in his sworn statement that he was under severe pressure from Mr Scerri – Dr Falzon’s liaison with the Land Department – and was afraid to spill the beans on Mr Scerri and his boss. “Before the interview [with the NAO], Clint Scerri used to come to my office and tell me to avoid mentioning the parliamentary secretary and himself so that they would not appear in a bad light,” Mr Camilleri said.
“He used to tell me not to tell the NAO that he used to pressure me and that he used to come to my office with [Mr] Gaffarena. This is why I didn’t say everything as I felt threatened and thought that if I said what Clint used to do I would have ended up in trouble with my bosses,” Mr Camilleri said.
Last week, the Opposition pointed out the government was failing to use the legal tools at its disposal to eliminate any remaining doubts on the case.
The Whistleblower Act could encourage more people to come forward with the facts while the Permanent Commission against Corruption Act was used by the Labour government to enable evidence to emerge over five electricity smart meters. None were used to get the necessary facts on the Gaffarena scandal, even though it was a deal costing taxpayers over €3 million, the Opposition said.