AG ‘sabotaging’ Joseph Muscat prosecution, NGO alleges
Ex-PM given ‘privileged’ access to hospitals’ inquiry findings
Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg is “sabotaging” the prosecution against Joseph Muscat, Repubblika said yesterday.
In a judicial protest, the rule of law NGO claimed Buttigieg was not even trying to hide her efforts to help the exprime minister, by offering him “privileged” access to the findings of the hospitals’ inquiry.
Repubblika, in the judicial protest authored by lawyer Jason Azzopardi, lamented that its own efforts to gain access to the inquiry, which it instigated in 2019, have been twice rejected.
Muscat is among a raft of people set to face money-laundering and corruption charges linked to the hospitals deal.
Repubblika accused the attorney general of “ordering” the state advocate not to appeal a recent court decision granting Muscat access to the parts of the inquiry where he is mentioned.
On Thursday, Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti ordered the attorney general to present every document in the inquiry’s records about the ex prime minister.
Repubblika said the attorney general had agreed to hand over the documents to Muscat before the four-day window to appeal Grixti’s decision had even elapsed.
The NGO said the attorney general deposited “every single page and document” in which Muscat is mentioned, including “documented proof about his money laundering”.
Muscat vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
Repubblika said that, while the attorney general wanted Muscat to have the advantage of “privileged” access, its own demands for the inquiry findings had been refused.
The NGO said the inquiry’s findings are of national interest and should be published immediately.
Findings are of national interest and should be published immediately
Repubblika warned it would be holding Buttigieg personally responsible for going out of her way to “help criminals”, instead of upholding her oath of office.
The fallout from the inquiry continued yesterday with Chris Fearne announcing his resignation as deputy prime minister.
Fearne, a former health minister, is set to face fraud charges in connection with the deal.