Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1392413
7 NEWS maltatoday | maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 14 JULY 2021 Cars and boats of Nexia BT officials listed in court as money laundering case continues NICOLE MEILAK A list of vehicles and boats owned by Nexia BT officials, who are ac- cused of money laundering was presented in court this morning by a Transport Malta employee. The compilation of evidence against the accused continued on Tuesday in front of Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech. Former Nexia BT partner Karl Cini currently has two vehicles registered under his name, while in the past, he enjoyed ownership of eight vehicles. With one car to his name, Ma- nuel Castagna owned two vehi- cles in the past. Katrin Bondin Carter, the financial controller for Nexia BT, is also in possession of one vehicle, and had two vehi- cles registered under her name in the past. Former Nexia BT partner Bri- an Tonna does not have any vehicles registered in his name, but did in the past have six reg- istered cars. He also used to own a boat, named Tranquility, which was eventually transferred onto someone else's name in 2018. Copies of the bills of sales were presented in court as proof of this ownership. Earlier in the hearing, police officials testified against the ac- cused, describing the search- es conducted on their personal properties and business offices. Superintendent Frank Tabone, who testified in a separate court hearing yesterday against Keith Schembri and his business asso- ciates, explained that a magiste- rial inquiry, concluded in Sep- tember last year, sparked further investigation into Nexia BT part- ners and former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri. That same month, a search and arrest warrant was issued against Schembri together with Cini, Tonna, and Castagna. Several mobile phones and electronics were seized from their properties. All four were eventually inter- rogated later in September, with Brian Tonna and Karl Cini refus- ing to answer questions posed by police as they wanted more time to evaluate the inquiry's conclu- sions. Schembri similarly said that he would be standing by his testimo- ny during the previous magisteri- al inquiry. The case continues. Former Nexia BT partner Brian Tonna (foreground) does not have any vehicles registered in his name, but did in the past have six registered cars. He also used to own a boat, named Tranquility, which was eventually transferred onto someone else's name in 2018 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Speaker proposed that all documents are sent to the Tax Commissioner and he appear in front of the committee to an- swer questions by the MPs. Aquilina and Comodini Cachia agreed but insisted that at the first opportunity that Cutajar's political aide, Charles Farrugia, known as it-Tikka, should also be summoned to testify. Government MPs opposed Farrugia's testimony, insisting that they wanted to hear the Tax Commissioner with Bedingfield adding that they did not need to hear other witnesses. The stormy afternoon meeting was suspended by the Speaker after the MPs could not agree on who should be summoned. It remains unclear whether the committee will be meeting again on Monday at 4pm, as was being discussed, before the Speaker walked out of the meeting. Earlier, Zammit Lewis and Bedingfield voted against adopt- ing the report, insisting that they wanted to have more informa- tion from the Tax Commission- er over a declaration made over the weekend by Charles Farru- gia. Farrugia declares paying taxes Charles Farrugia communi- cated with the Speaker over the weekend to say that he will be amending his income tax re- turns to declare the full broker- age fee from the property sale, although he insisted the money was an ex gratia payment. On Tuesday afternoon, Charles Farrugia sent the Speaker an amended income tax return to show that he paid taxes on €120,000 of income. During the morning sitting, the Speaker did suggest that more investigation was required be- fore finding an MP guilty on pri- ma facie evidence. The case involves the sale of an Mdina palazzo by Joseph Camilleri, a property negotiator, to businessman Yorgen Fenech. The accusation is that Charles Farrugia and Rosianne Cutajar acted as middlemen in the deal and were paid a brokerage fee in cash by Camilleri and Fenech. Cutajar has denied involve- ment in the deal and insists she never received a brokerage fee. She did, however, admit receiv- ing €9,000 in cash from Fenech as a birthday gift. Hyzler's report was published last week. He made submis- sions in front of the parliamen- tary committee yesterday and today. During this morning's sitting, Hyzler insisted that all the ev- idence at hand pointed to the fact that despite her denials, Cutajar did receive a brokerage fee from the property deal. Hyzler insisted that Cuta- jar's political aide, Farrugia, always talked in the plural in his exchanges with Camilleri and remained very close to the Labour MP despite her claims that he may have used her name to get more money from the deal. The Standards Commission- er found that Cutajar breached ethics when she failed to declare the brokerage fee in her parlia- mentary declaration. During submissions, Aquilina insisted that Charles Farrugia's admission that he will adjust his income tax returns to reflect the brokerage fee makes things worse for Cutajar. "First of all, it puts into ques- tion the original claim made that the money paid was not a bro- kerage fee but it makes it worse because her subaltern is ready to make a false declaration after the investigation has been con- cluded," Aquilina said. The Labour MPs on the com- mittee insisted they needed more information before reach- ing any conclusion on the report. Bedingfield insisted that if Charles Farrugia declares that he received all the brokerage fee from the deal, it would mean that Cutajar received none and so was relevant to the matter at hand. Earlier, Hyzler said that it was not up to him to investigate who and whether any tax was paid on the property deal since that was the competence of the tax au- thorities. Hyzler did indicate in the re- port that his findings should be passed on to the tax authorities for further investigation of the property deal. It has been reported that the Tax Compliance Unit had initi- ated an investigation earlier this year after news broke out of the property deal. Karol Aquilina later slammed the Speaker for walking out of committee meeting "The Speaker abandoned the meeting and disrespected his role," Aqui- lina said. He said the Speaker should not have acted in such a way. Fol- lowing the incident, Opposition whip Robert Cutajar called for a quorum. The parliamentary sit- ting was suspended. Speaker takes time on ethics case The accusation is that both Charles Farrugia 'it-Tikka', a former political aide to Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar (right) and the MP, acted as middlemen in the deal and were paid a brokerage fee in cash by seller Joe Camilleri and Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech. Cutajar has denied involvement in the deal and insists she never received a brokerage fee. She did, however, admit receiving €9,000 in cash from Fenech as a birthday gift