Magistrate Aaron Bugeja has described the Egrant inquiry he is conducting as 'delicate' and complex' requiring a considerable amount of time.

He made his comments in a decree in which he referred to another magistrate a number of files presented by Simon Busuttil earlier this month which Dr Busuttil had described as 'detailed proof' of €650,000 of suspicious transactions involving the prime minister's chief of staff Keith Schembri and former Allied Newspapers managing director Adrian Hillman.

READ: Busuttil presents eight files of 'irrefutable evidence' against Schembri

Magistrate Bugeja is investigating claims that Michelle Muscat, the prime minister's wife, was the beneficial owner of a secret Panama company named Egrant, claims which the prime minister and Mrs Muscat are denying.

Magistrate Bugeja earlier this month also referred to another magistrate claims made by Dr Busuttil that Mr Schembri received kickbacks from the sale of Maltese passports. 

The Office of the Prime Minister said the magistrate's decision confirmed that the documents presented by Dr Busuttil had nothing to do with the Egrant claims and the leader of the opposition was playing for time to cover up the Egrant 'lie'.

Busuttil underlines magistrate's comments

In a reaction, Dr Busuttil said the decree by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja included two points which needed to be underlined.

Firstly, the magistrate had decided that on the basis of the files handed to him, there should be a criminal investigation of Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman. The evidence led one to seriously suspect bribes and money laundering, Dr Busuttil said.

The evidence led one to seriously suspect bribes and money laundering, Dr Busuttil said.

The magistrate’s decision meant that the prime minister was under criminal investigation and Mr Schembri was under two investigation – over the sale of passports and the suspicious transactions with Mr Hillman.

“This is a decision which not only confirms what I have been saying about having proof, but it continues to make the prime minister’s position untenable,” Dr Busuttil said.

The prime minister worked hand in glove with Mr Schembri, he said, and he now had no moral authority to lead the country.

Dr Busuttil said he was renewing his appeal to the prime minister to step down now because his place was no longer in politics.

How could anyone live in a country where three criminal investigations at such high level were underway?

Unfortunately, Dr Busuttil said, he did not expect the prime minister to resign, and therefore it had to be the people to remove him on June 3. 

Egrant inquiry comments

Furthermore, Dr Busuttil said, Magistrate Bugeja had also commented on the Egrant inquiry, saying he had a major task to investigate this case. 

In his comments, Magistrate Bugeja said that it was important that every inquiry was concluded as quickly as possible, especially in a delicate matter of national importance such as the Egrant case. 

Nonetheless, it was an undeniable fact that for reasons already stated, the inquiry was not only delicate but also complex. 

The magistrate said he and the police investigators attached to his inquiry had been working round the clock, seven days a week since April 20 April. But the nature of the inquiry was such that it needed detailed investigation, including the assistance of various experts, principally foreigners, both in Malta as well as internationally.  

It needed various processes and the examination of evidence which would take considerable time and other measures may be need on the basis of evidence which was still being collected. 

The magistrate said he and the investigators remained committed to concluding the inquiry as soon as possible, more so as this was a sensitive time for the country. But he could not take short cuts or extend a day beyond 24 hours or a week beyond seven days. 

Dr Busuttil said he understood this to mean that there was little chance of the inquiry being concluded before the general election.  

Therefore the people were going to an election with the prime minister under a criminal investigation, while he was promising to clean up politics.

Muscat accuses Busuttil of delaying tactics

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who spoke as a Labour political event, accused Dr Busuttil of trying to delay the Egrant inquiry when he handed the magistrate files which had nothing to do with the claims he was investigating.
 
“Dr Busuttil just wanted to delay the inquiry for another five days, and I ask, what is Dr Busuttil afraid of, why doesn’t he want that inquiry conclusion to come out?” he said. 

“The Nationalist Party is terrified of this inquiry coming out,” Dr Muscat said.

The Labour leader said he was certain the inquiry would not only find no evidence of wrong doing but that it would also find no truth in the allegations being made against him and his wife.

 

 

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