Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/829797
maltatoday, TUESDAY, 30 MAY 2017 6 News Confident magistrate will receive a favourable decision – Busuttil CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Busuttil told re- porters that the evidence he presented in court showed that "bribery" was the only plausible reason for monies paid to Hillman and that the money had start- ed to be laundered. "[Today] I also saw the documents that I had originally presented to Magistrate Aaron Bugeja. I opened the box files to ensure that they were still full – I as- sure you that they are still full," quipped Busuttil, referring to allegations that he had presented empty box files to the magistrate. Next Saturday the electorate will be voting in exceptional circumstances, he said. Busuttil said he was "confident that the magistrate will reach a conclusion at face value – not a verdict of guilty or not guilty, but whether at face value, these people should be prosecuted. "That is the conclusion that all the magistrates are expected to reach. I ex- pect that in the three investigations, the three magistrates will do so." On the latest allegations that kick- backs were paid on the LNG tanker, Bu- suttil said that the editor of the Malta Independent asked to testify. "This indicates to me that he has a copy of the FIAU report," Busuttil told reporters, adding that this could lead to another investigation, this time includ- ing Konrad Mizzi. "Imagine the situation of going to the polls on Saturday with the three cor- rupt men of Castille under criminal in- vestigation." The opposition leader insisted that there "definitely" is a cover-up. "The Prime Minister is lying even in the face of evidence. This should lead us to reflect: when the PM says 'I will re- sign if there is evidence against me' you [Muscat] didn't resign when we present- ed you with this evidence. Rest assured that he will deny everything. We have a situation where the Prime Minister is denying known truths." Muscat has been challenging Busut- til to resign if the inquiry finds that the Panama company Egrant allegation was a fabrication. Busuttil however hit back at the Prime Minister, saying that he was "in no po- sition to be asking for anyone's resigna- tion, because the Prime Minister should himself have resigned a long time ago." If elected on Saturday, Busuttil said he vowed to see that a new commissioner of police is appointed and all the cases of alleged corruption be investigated. "I am determined to see that justice is served. That is the feeling I get from the public, they want justice." He denied counter-allegations that he had, in the past, pocketed commissions on oil trading, saying it was a "lie from start to finish". "The Prime Minister thinks everyone is like his chief of staff." The case refers to a €5 million out- of-court settlement which the Gonzi Cabinet paid to oil company Shell. Bu- suttil was the company's lawyer and the agreement was reached a few weeks af- ter Busuttil had become deputy leader of the party. The Commissioner's inaction in the face of the Leader of the Opposition as well as the independent news media giving him evidence, shows the state in which country found itself. "This is not just a case of three corrupt people in Castille, it is bigger than that. It is a question of these three seizing control of the institutions in such a way that they are now paralyzed." The gravity of the situation was un- derlined, Busuttil said, by the filing of criminal complaints to prosecute who- ever leaked the report from the FIAU, last week. Extracts of FIAU reports have been linked to the Nationalist opposition, prompting the FIAU to file a criminal complaint. Another leak took place on Friday, forcing the FIAU to issue a state- ment denying that the allegations re- ported "resulted from the findings" and that the investigation had not yet been concluded. "I ask the people listening: Are you comfortable living in this state? Even if you are doing well under Joseph Mus- cat, are you comfortable living in a country where criminals are protected instead of victims? Where steps are tak- en against you for revealing something instead of against the persons whom you have uncovered?" Busuttil was incredulous when told that Muscat had accused him of pub- lishing selective parts of the FIAU re- ports. "It is an absolute lie. Did he really say this? If I published the entire FIAU report, how can he say I published se- lective parts? Please stop believing Jo- seph Muscat, because at every turn he is unabashedly lying. I went on Xara- bank and published three reports from the FIAU from beginning to end, how can he say I was selective in what I pub- lished?" Schembri's email in response to editorial shows he is in denial, claims Busuttil The PN leader said he had no doubt that more would be revealed about alleged corruption related to Enemalta and the LNG tanker NATIONALIST Party leader Simon Busuttil has insisted that an email sent out by OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri in response to the Sunday Times of Malta's editorial last Sun- day, shows the extent to which Schembri is in denial. Speaking at a political activ- ity in Mosta, Busuttil said that the editorial had made it clear that the government was cor- rupt and needed to be voted out of office, adding that it was so important that it was placed on the front page. Busuttil, quoting the edi- torial, said there was ample evidence showing that Keith Schembri was a money laun- derer. "You know I agree with the Sunday Times about it. I was the one that brought evidence forward to expose this crimi- nal," said Busuttil, who added that Schembri's assertion that there is no concrete evidence proves just how in denial he was. "Who do you think you're kidding," said Busuttil, to rap- turous applause. "I can assure you there are eight thick box files full of proof." Despite this, he said, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had gone to Friday's debate on Xarabank and claimed that the files were empty. Busuttil reiterated his conviction that the inquiry would definitely find enough evidence to open criminal proceedings against Schembri. "Imagine the disaster we would have if Joseph Muscat were to win next Saturday, only for Keith Schembri to be taken to court and possibly spend the rest of his life in jail," he said. "What does Muscat expect, that he should be allowed to govern if this happens? Is this the accountability he promised us?" He said that Schembri, in his email had also claimed that the Prime Minister had not dismissed the accusations as inconsequential, but had asked for a magisterial inquiry. "There are three inquiries, two of which were started be- cause of information I brought to light, and the third one was opened by Muscat after he first allowed the owner of Pilatus Bank to clear the evidence and leave the bank with full bags, and after the Police Commis- sioner had finished his rabbit dinner," he said, adding that Muscat had only asked for the inquiry after it was assured there was no evidence for the police to find. Finally, Busuttil said the editorial stated that Schembri wasn't investigated and was above the law, a claim Schem- bri said was nonsense because "the inquiry was proceeding normally". "The police have had the [FIAU] report for a whole year and did nothing," said Busuttil, who said that not only did the police do nothing, but could also not be trusted to cooper- ate with the inquiring magis- trate. The PN leader said that Schembri had ended his email by praising the Prime Minis- ter and saying Muscat was not only his boss, but also his "best friend". "This is exactly why Joseph Muscat must resign. If one goes, so does the other," said Busuttil. Turning to reports published by The Malta Independent at the weekend, he said that the paper's content manager had also testified in court. "Today he presented proof showing there was also cor- ruption in the LNG tanker and the sale of Enemalta," said Bu- suttil. "They have stolen every- thing." He said he had no doubt that more would be revealed about the Independent's claims. "They never thought they would be caught but Jesus is great. God is with us. The truth always emerges," he said. He once again underscored his belief that Saturday's elec- tion is not a normal one, and would be remembered as one of the elections that wrote the country's history, like the 2003 election, which saw Malta join the EU. "It was the last time we voted not for one of the two parties, but for what was good for the country," he concluded.