AG denies ‘go slow’ advice on Panama Papers investigation as MP calls for resignation
The Attorney General has denied a claim made by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, who is also the lawyer for the Caruana Galizia family, that he had told the police to go slow on the Panama Papers investigation.
Azzopardi requested the resignation or removal of Attorney General Peter Grech after it was revealed in court, Azzopardi said, that Grech had advised, in writing, the police “to go slow” on the Panama Papers investigation.
In a statement in reply, the Attorney General “categorically denies as an outright lie and calumny” the allegation made on Facebook by Azzopardi.
Writing on Facebook, Azzopardi said a police file from the Economic Crimes Unit shows there’s “a written advice by Dr Peter Grech warning Police to go slow on (Panama Papers) investigation as it will cause trouble in the country!”
The advice was given, according to Azzopardi, in 2016, when the Panama Papers scandal broke.
It had then been revealed that then Minister Konrad Mizzi and then OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri had opened companies in Panama.
In another post, Azzopardi said that “The Attorney General has to resign or asked to resign today. Robert Abela has to choose: either be an accomplice in the culture of impunity which has killed Daphne & thus defend the AG, or do the right thing and formally ask him to resign. If not, the Opposition will do what must be done.”
Soon after, Opposition Leader Adrian Delia also said Grech must resign and “be investigated for crimes against the nation”.