Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1175000
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 OCTOBER 2019 NEWS KURT SANSONE THE managing partner of IIP agent Chetcuti Cauchi has denied ever speak- ing to politicians to illegally intervene on his clients' behalf. Lawyer Jean-Philippe Chetcuti said in a statement today that he never promised to obtain "any illegal advan- tage" for his clients. The statement comes two weeks af- ter a French TV journalistic venture secretly filmed Chetcuti boasting to an undercover journalist of his politi- cal connections and how people in au- thority can close an eye to clients with a criminal record. Chetcuti Cauchi is one of the agents that sells Maltese citizenship under the Individual Investor Programme. After the TV documentary was aired, the government IIP agency suspended Chetcuti Cauchi's licenc- es and referred all client files, past and present, to the regulator for in- vestigation. Chetcuti's statement indirectly con- firms that he was the company repre- sentative filmed by the French jour- nalist. "I deny that I promised to obtain any illegal advantage for our clients. I equally deny that I ever spoke to poli- ticians to illegally intervene on our clients' behalf," Chetcuti said, add- ing that he would only be answering questions after official investigations are over. He said that no client of his, whose application for a Maltese passport was rejected, has ever had the rejection overturned. "We have never accepted clients with a criminal record. In addition, none of our clients has ever had his or her citizenship revoked because of criminal convictions after citizenship was granted," he said. The statement says nothing about the claims Chetcuti made during the meeting with the undercover journal- ist. The lawyer said the company "al- ways acted professionally, ethically and with utmost diligence", and never broke the law. Chetcuti said the company was fully cooperating with the competent au- thorities, and urged that all investi- gations are completed in the shortest time possible. "Our firm currently employs 140 people… We have no difficulty to open our doors to scrutiny by public institutions. Let them do all the work that the law obliges them to do. It does not worry us. The only thing I ask is that the review of our license is carried out in the shortest time pos- sible. The livelihoods of 140 families are at stake," Chetcuti said. Lawyer who boasted of political connections during TV sting denies wrongdoing Jean-Philippe Chetcuti (above left with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat) is the managing partner of Chetcutu Cauchi Advocates, the passport agent at the centre of controversy after a French TV sting MATTHEW AGIUS TWO brothers have been charged with stabbing a man in an argument in Valletta on Sunday. Sylvester James, 33 and Regi- nald James, 29, from Hamrun appeared before duty mag- istrate Neville Camilleri on Tuesday morning, accused of attempting to cause grievous injury to the man when they stabbed him with an object, thought to be a screwdriver. The brothers were also ac- cused of breaching the peace. Police said that an argument had broken out in a block of flats in Valletta and the ac- cused men had allegedly gone to assist a friend of theirs who was involved. Sylvester James was sepa- rately accused of inflicting the stab wounds and carrying a sharp or pointed instrument in public without a licence or permission. His brother, Reginald, was separately ac- cused of slightly injuring the man. The court was asked to treat the men as recidivists, with prosecuting inspector Jef- frey Scicluna describing their criminal records as "vast." The accused pair, their faces heavily tattooed, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their lawyer, Frank Cassar, request- ed bail for the men. The pros- ecution objected, due to the fact that civilian witnesses, among them the victim and his wife, had not yet testified. The charges were not that grave as to require their con- tinued detention, rebutted the lawyer. Bail could be granted under very strict conditions, he said, adding that in the worst scenario they could be held under house arrest, "but not prison just because of a fear that they would speak with witnesses." Magistrate Camilleri disa- greed, however, denying them bail both due to the circum- stances of the case and to the nature of the charges. The court said it was not con- vinced that were the accused to be granted bail, they would be able to adhere to the con- ditions imposed on them. The fact that the injured party was yet to testify was also a factor in the decision, said the mag- istrate. The prosecution was invited to summon its witnesses at the first opportunity. Brothers charged with Valletta stabbing