Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/426299
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 3 DECEMBER 2014 News 5 To view and bid on the lots, please visit: http://international.go-dove.com/en/event-19058 For further information, please contact: CUSTOMER SERVICES (EUROPE) Telephone: +44 (0)207 098 3792 Email: help@go-dove.com AUCTION OVER 40 LOTS OF HIGH QUALITY BIOPHARMA, R&D AND GENERAL LABORATORY EQUIPMENT By order of a major research pharmaceutical company • Blister machine: Uhlmann 'B1240' • Tablet coater: Manesty '5 Q 186' (1994) • Over wrapping machine: Marden Edwards 'BX150LH/8' (1996) • Fluid bed driers: Gea 'Strea-1 Pro' (2007) • Hardness tester: Pharma Test 'PTB311' (2012) SALE CLOSING: Thursday 11 th December 2014, 06:00 PST LOCATION: Zejtun, Malta FEATURING: • Blister packaging machine: Sepha 'MS300' • Weight checker: Sartorious 'EWK3010' (2006) • Tablet Counter: King • Granulator: Anchor Mark 'RMG10' • Blister Packaging Machine: Sepha 'MS300' 'Oil investigation files spent 15 months in Peter Paul Zammit's office' – Vassallo MIRIAM DALLI THE police files on the investiga- tion into the oil scandal spent 15 months in the office of former po- lice commissioner Peter Paul Zam- mit – from the day he walked into his office until the day he walked out, a parliamentary committee heard yesterday. In the meantime, the police in- vestigations into the oil scandal continued as usual, with the court cases being heard and a number of accused appearing in court. Testifying before the parliamen- tary committee discussing the Au- ditor General's report on Enemalta's fuel procurement, Superintend- ent Paul Vassallo said that records showed that the file was transferred to the former police commissioner's office on 12 April and returned back to Inspector Ray Ferris in July 2014 – the same month which saw Zam- mit stepping down from his post. Ferris had taken over the investi- gation from Inspector Angelo Gafa. "I have no idea why the files were kept in his office," Vassallo told the public accounts committee. Vassallo said the investigation started after MaltaToday published invoices showing that commissions were paid to an Enemalta procure- ment committee member for the oil purchased by the state utility, into a Swiss bank account traceable to Frank Sammut. "On that Sunday, I myself and In- spector Angelo Gafa visited Saviour Balzan at his offices in San Gwann for further inquiries. Balzan had mentioned Frank Sammut… in fact the newspaper on the day had pub- lished receipts showing the kick- backs that were being paid," Vas- sallo said. Vassallo, still superintendent in the Economic Crimes Unit, was part of the investigative team looking in- to the oil scandal. Unlike the rest of the team – Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar and Inspector An- gelo Gafa, who today hold positions within the Malta Security Service – Vassallo still holds this position. Once again, it was established that the investigative team first heard of the presidential pardon for oil trad- er George Farrugia from the news- papers. Vassallo remembered that Cassar had also f loated the idea, but he [Vassallo] was never involved in any discussions on the actual grant- ing of the pardon. According to Vassallo, George Farrugia had appeared nervous and his body language had given away that he knew more than he was let- ting on. "After the presidential pardon was granted, Farrugia became extreme- ly cooperative and always handed in requested information and even ac- cepted to do confrontations, includ- ing uncomfortable ones," he said. Vassallo said that even though a number of individuals, including Frank Sammut and Alfred Mallia, had admitted the allegations, the police still required evidence. This evidence, he said, was to be corrob- orated by Farrugia's testimony and invoices. PAC substitute member Minis- ter Edward Zammit Lewis asked whether the police had managed to obtain any documents which proved the corruption allegations. Vassallo said that Saviour Balzan had passed on invoices published in the news- paper and further invoices "which he had to get from third parties". Vassallo said he was not involved in the process and was not present when the police questioned former PN ministers Tonio Fenech and Austin Gatt. Grilled by parliamen- tary secretary Justyne Caruana, Vassallo said he did not know in detail what was said during these interrogations. He did remember reading in the report that George Farrugia had donated €2,000 to Gatt's electoral campaign, which he handed to Gatt's son. Vassallo said the presidential pardon had led to the arraignment of Tarcisio Mifsud. "I remember Farrugia saying that he had paid Tarcisio Mifsud, bribing him for the award of a contract. In reality, Farrugia had not won the contract. Confronted by Farrugia, Mifsud had told him that if he [Farrugia] were to win all the contracts, suspicions would arise," he said. Pressed by Zammit Lewis, Vassal- lo said the police were not informed of any corruption that took place after 2005 and which Farrugia had not told them about. In a previous sitting, Michael Cas- sar had told the PAC that the presi- dential pardon had been required to obtain any information that could prove that corruption existed after 2005. However, no such corruption transpired. Cassar was adamant that the police had had the neces- sary evidence to arraign a number of individuals on bribery pre-2005. "We had nothing to question Far- rugia about post-2005…we used to make the questions and Farrugia used to answer. If we didn't have any information, how could we make the questions?" Vassallo told Caruana. Caruana additionally asked Vas- sallo whether he was aware that former Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter had left the state entity to work for SunPower Corporation, a Total subsidiary. Coincidentally, Farrugia had also been a Total agent. Vassallo said he could not remem- ber the details, only that the name 'SunPower' "rang a bell". "But I don't remember that we spoke about Alex Tranter with George Farrugia." Tranter currently faces charges of misappropriation of funds connect- ed with his tenure at the helm of the energy corporation. Supt Vassallo: oil kickbacks investigation started after MaltaToday published invoices of commissions