Ministry says Egrant magistrate has clearance for foreign court expert funding

The Justice Ministry yesterday said that it gave the necessary clearance to all funds required by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja to appoint any court expert, local or foreign, to assist in the Egrant case three months ago.

The Ministry was responding to an article on yesterday’s Times of Malta, arguing that the article was “an outright fabrication,” and that there were no funding issues.

The article read that, according to judicial sources, the magistrate conducting the Egrant inquiry is awaiting the Justice Department’s approval before appointing foreign IT experts to assist him. The article read that the Magistrate wants to bring in foreign IT experts.

The ministry argued that, unlike what is stated in the article, the newspaper never asked the ministry specifically about the Egrant case.

“The Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government reiterates that there are no issues of funding, as incorrectly stated by The Times reporter. In fact, the Ministry had, back on 26 April 2017 - a full three months ago-given the necessary clearance to all funds needed for the Magistrate to appoint any court expert, local or foreign, to assist him in the Egrant inquiry. Also, contrary to what the article stated, the judiciary can avail themselves of court experts from an existing list issued by the Justice Department. The list is made up of experts who put forward their name after an open expression of interest. However, the judiciary are also free to appoint other court experts as they deem fit, and in fact, they are doing so. This ensures the independence and transparency of the judiciary. The Government reiterates that the Inquiring Magistrate has the full administrative support to conclude the inquiry in the shortest time possible.”

The inquiry in question launched in the wake of allegations that the Panama company Egrant is owned by Michelle Muscat, and that large sums of money was transferred.