Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/906955
maltatoday SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2017 News 5 MATTHEW VELLA A Libyan politician has denied suggestions that he was aware of fuel smuggling allegations when he signed off on a letter certifying accused smuggler Fahmi Slim Ben Khalifa's company as being bona fide. The crime syndicate that smug- gled some €30 million in fuel oil from Libya using Maltese ships, was assisted by the signature of one, Ali Gatrani, a boycotting member of the Libyan Presidency Council. A letter from November 2015, seen by MaltaToday in its origi- nal Arabic version and a certified English translation, shows that Gatrani put his name to a letter certifying Ben Khalifa's operation Tiuboda Oil and Gas Services, as a bona fide company. Signing his letter as chairman of the Libyan House of Representa- tives' economy, trade and invest- ment committee, he effectively al- lowed Ben Khalifa's company to be recognised as a legitimate business operation. The letter's timing is all the more crucial, having been written right after the revealing exposé on 16 October 2015 by Ann Marlowe in the Asia Times, where she re- vealed how Fahmi Slim Ben Khal- ifa was a powerful human and fuel trafficker working in partnership with Maltese businessmen. Gatrani was reported by the Lib- yan Herald as denying having en- dorsed any illegal activity. "Gatrani has expressed aston- ishment at being drawn into the affair. He points out that provid- ing a letter for Ben Khalifa to state that his company was legally set up in no way endorses any illegal activities that it may have become embroiled in," the Libyan Herald reported. Gatrani said he did not want to say anything while the case against Ben Khalifa, arrested by Tripoli's Rada Militia back in August, was ongoing. Gatrani is a member of the Lib- yan House of Representatives, which was ousted from power in Tripoli by Islamist-led Libya Dawn forces, and forced to flee to To- bruk. Gatrani's letter mentions Tiubo- da and states that the HOR "within the framework of motivating and encouraging nationals to take part and raise the performance stand- ard and to accelerate the national economy of the country, until it becomes on the same level of de- veloped countries, has no objec- tion for such institutions to carry out their business." With the stamp of Libya's recog- nised government at the time, Ben Khalifa and his Maltese accom- plices could convince authorities that the fuel they were trading was purchased legally. Although knowing that Ben Khalifa was a smuggling kingpin, Gatrani would later complain that the Maltese government was ig- noring complaints on fuel smug- gling. After the UN report was is- sued in March 2016, Gatrani was reported in the Libyan press to have sent a letter on 17 July to the Maltese ambassador on illegal fuel exports to Malta through compa- nies licensed for "oil services" – a veiled reference to Tiuboda's ac- tivities. But seven days later, the Maltese foreign ministry told the press that the ambassador had never re- ceived any such communication. On 20 October, the former Malta international footballer Darren Debono and fuel trader Gordon Debono were arrested in Lampe- dusa and Catania respectively. Darren Debono was a business partner of Ben Khalifa. The arrests were the result of a three-year police investigation in Italy that revealed how Tiuboda smuggled fuel out of Libya, using Maltese ships and the connivance of Italian merchants to place the fuel on European markets. The crime syndicate used false certificates to obtain a stamp of approval from the Maltese Cham- ber of Commerce so that their fuel exports could be offloaded at Ital- ian ports. With these certificates in hand, Darren Debono was also success- ful in obtaining two apostilles from the Maltese ministry of foreign af- fairs' legalisation officer, when the Chamber of Commerce stopped certifying his exports after a UN report into fule smuggling allega- tions was published. The home I really want #OneStepCloser A special fixed rate offer of 2.5% until 31 March 2020 is available for first time buyers taking a home loan of up to €300,000. Representative example of a Classic Home Loan based on a loan amount of €140,000 being made available to a first-time buyer by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. at a fixed borrowing interest rate of 2.5% for the first 24 months and a variable borrowing interest rate of 3% p.a. for the remaining 336 months. The APRC will be 3% p.a. The loan will be repayable in 24 equal monthly instalments of €555.83, 335 equal monthly instalments of €591.32 and one final instalment of €560.61. The total sum payable throughout the term of the loan assuming the variable interest rate remains unchanged will be €212,314.43. Applicable charges on this loan are as follows - processing fee of €50, processing (legal) fee of €100, booking fee of €100, updating of searches fees of €41.70 and a fee for post-deed checking of hypothecary charge of €30. The loan is to be secured by a first ranking hypothec and special privilege over the property being financed, a first ranking pledge over a life assurance policy covering the whole loan amount and a buildings insurance policy for the replacement cost of the property being financed. If repayments are not maintained, the bank may take steps to sell the property financed following legal proceedings and the borrower may lose his property. Terms and conditions apply. Approved and issued by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c., 116, Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444 which is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. 96700-10/2017 Click hsbc.com.mt Call 2380 2000 Visit your local branch SMS send text message "HOME LOAN" to 7900 2380 (Normal SMS tariffs apply) HSBCMalta HSBC_MT Move into the home you've always wanted. With expert help from our lending specialists and home loans with some of the best rates on the market, it's never been easier to make your dreams come to life. Take advantage of our BEST HOME LOAN RATES Libyan minister: 'No objection' not endorsement of smuggler The commission scrutinises ju- diciary candidates and advises the government on who to recom- mend to the President of the Re- public for appointment. The com- mission includes the Ombudsman and the Auditor General along with the Chief Justice, Attorney General and the Chamber of Ad- vocates' president. The government of the day maintains the power to appoint the Chief Justice. Malta's sitting Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri, a former Attorney General, is now set to retire from his position in April 2018. to be appointed appeals backlog Tipped for the Bench: Vincent Galea