PM asks police to investigate Macbridge revelations
Prime Minister Robert Abela yesterday sent an official letter to Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa, calling on him to investigate all the revelations connected to the secret company Macbridge which were published on Monday. The company has been linked to Cheng Chen, who played a key role in the deal which saw Shanghai Electric Power buy a third of Enemalta.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has sent an official letter to Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa calling on him to investigate all the revelations connected to the secret company Macbridge which were published on Monday.
In a story on Monday, the Times of Malta revealed that Macbridge International Development is a company which is owned by Tang Zhaomin, the mother-inlaw of negotiator Chen Cheng. Macbridge was named as one of the two companies set up to pay the equivalent of some €5,000 per day into secret offshore Panama companies which were owned by the OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and then Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi.
The second company was called 17 Black, which was based in Dubai and owned by businessman and Electrogas shareholder - and the man currently accused of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia – Yorgen Fenech.
Cheng Chen was a consultant with a firm called Accenture, and he played a key role in a €320 million deal which saw Chinese state-owned company Shanghai Electric Power buy a third of Enemalta in 2014.
Konrad Mizzi told Times of
Malta that he had no information about or relationship with Macbridge. Keith Schembri has previously admitted having “draft business plans” with 17 Black, but had insisted that he has no knowledge of Macbridge.
In his letter, the Prime Minister referred to three articles published on Monday by the Times of Malta and another one published by Reuters on the same revelation.
“If all of the contents of these articles are not already being investigated by the police force and do not form part of an inquiry or magisterial inquiry, I am requesting that you ensure that all the allegations mentioned in the said articles are investigated immediately,” Abela wrote.
Abela placed special emphasis on the word “all” – underlining it in the letter.
In a statement sent to the media with the letter, Abela reiterated his faith in the country’s investigative institutions and said that they should continue to work with full independence and without any preference to anyone.
Shanghai Electric Power says it was not aware of or party to any illegal activity
Earlier in the day, Shanghai Electric Power – which owns a 33% stake in Enemalta – said it was not aware or party to any illegal activity.
It also said it adheres to a number of principles, including that of “zero-tolerance to corruption.”
“Shanghai Electric Power (Malta) (SEPM) reaffirms its adherence to the principles of honesty, transparency and fairness in its relationships with all stakeholders. These principles include zero-tolerance to corruption,” a spokesperson for the company said.
“SEPM reiterates that Mr Chen Cheng is not, and never has been, an employee of Shanghai Electric Power or Shanghai Electric Power (Malta). SEPM also wishes to make it categorically clear it was not aware of, or party to, any of the alleged illegal activity which has been reported.”
The company said it is “committed to provide the fullest support possible to investigative authorities in any jurisdiction.”
After Macbridge revelation, Grech says country must cut ties with Electrogas
Opposition Leader Bernard
Grech had previously stated that Prime Minister Robert Abela has to take action by dissolving the country’s ties with Electrogas.
Bernard Grech said that the news is another confirmation of the corruption that has been going on within the government led by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and now Prime Minister Robert Abela. He highlighted that it had to be the journalists who uncovered such revelations and corruption. “This goes to show that the institutions of this country are not working.”
“Today more than ever we have another confirmation that the assets and money of the people have been spent, not in the interest of this country but in the interest of a few who used it in order to earn millions hidden in companies. All this took place under the nose of Joseph Muscat and PM Abela, who to this day has defended what happened,” Grech said.
“In the face of all the developments in the past weeks, Abela has a political responsibility to bear.”
International criminal group defrauding Malta must be prosecuted – Daphne foundation
The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation had, on Monday, called for fresh charges to be pressed against Yorgen Fenech, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi, and for Cheng Chen to be extradited to Malta to face justice.
This confirmed what Daphne Caruana Galizia had reported five years ago, the foundation said: “that a criminal entanglement of political and illicit business interests that stretches across the world sat at the heart of Joseph Muscat’s government.”
The foundation said it also expects former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s role in the Shanghai Electric Power and Montenegro wind farm deals to be fully investigated by the Maltese authorities.
“Action must be taken against Accenture, Cheng Chen’s employer and a consultant on the part-sale of Malta’s state energy company to Chinese stateowned enterprise Shanghai Electric Power in 2013.” The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation said it continues to support those whose investigative work brings us closer to truth and justice for Daphne and for her unfinished work.