After Schembri’s court case everyone is angry, not just Nationalists - Simon Busuttil

“Following the incident in court on Monday, when OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri withdrew his libel case as he did not want to answer questions relating to 17 black, everyone is angry, and not just Nationalists,” former PN leader and current MP Simon Busuttil has said.

Speaking in Parliament during his adjournment speech, Busuttil explained that the incident brewed a new kind of anger towards the government and the chief of staff, and described what happened in court as “a new chapter in the history of this country.”

On Monday, Keith Schembri, the prime minister’s chief of staff, avoided cross-examination about the offshore company 17 Black and dropped libel proceedings he had instituted against Busuttil.

“Every person can now point their finger at Keith Schembri and say that he is corrupt,” Busuttil said. “Schembri went to court yesterday and dropped the case as he was too scared to defend himself, which only means that what I said about him was true.”

Busuttil went on to describe what happened in court, pointing out that there were security guards from Castille and a number of lawyers wherever Schembri went. He said that Schembri had come up with one excuse after the other not to answer questions “If you are worried about incriminating yourself, you must have done something wrong,” said Busuttil. He explained that throughout the court sitting the magistrate had pushed and ordered Schembri to answer, and yet Schembri continued to make excuses.

“The first question we asked Schembri was ‘What is the business plan that you have with 17 Black and Macbridge?’ and his own lawyer said that he could not answer that question as he might incriminate himself. The court pushed Schembri to answer, and yet he did not answer.”

Busuttil said that Schembri had a choice: “To go to prison or to answer the questions, yet instead he dropped the defamation suit.”

Busuttil said that when the Panama Papers came out revealing that Schembri and Minister Konrad Mizzi had set up secretive offshore companies, every other minister abroad who was on that list resigned. Busuttil said that what happened in court would have shocked other countries; that abroad the chief of staff would have been arrested and the prime minister would have been taken in for questioning. “I have never experienced anything like what happened yesterday- it was extraordinary,” explained Busuttil.

Busuttil dedicated his words to Daphne Caruana Galizia, as he recounted how she had first broken the Panama Papers story.

“If he was my chief of staff, I would have fired him; Out! Out! Out!” Busuttil continued and challenged Prime Minister Muscat to remember when and where he had last met Yorgen Fenech, the owner of 17 Black.

“He looked so confused when journalists questioned when he had last met Mr Fenech, not even knowing what month we are in,” said Busutill.

Busuttil backed plans by the NGO Repubblika for a public protest on Saturday, saying he would attend. “Honest people are turning to MPs from both sides of the House, urging them to act, and the Opposition should be protesting and demanding resignations,” Busuttil said.

Busuttil said that people were angry and felt of helpless as they were aware that the system had been hijacked. “People are begging for justice and a better democracy; they are coming to us and going to parliamentary representatives calling for justice.”