In a statement following the arraignment in court of former PM Joseph Muscat’s Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri and other people, who are facing serious charges of fraud, money laundering and corruption, amongst other charges, ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said:
“Today Keith Schembri and 10 other people, as well as twenty companies are facing serious charges in court. They are accused of fraud, corruption, money laundering and more. What is happening today is proof that the institutions did not work as they should have. Action should have been taken by the state institutions, instead it was a Magistrate’s investigation of Simon Busuttil’s supposedly ’empty’ boxes which led to today’s arraignments. The state institutions have failed. Today is a day of shame for Malta.”
“Malta’s former ‘number one’ is being accused of serious financial crime and dirt. He is joined by a Government appointee on the Board of the Planning Authority, Matthew Pace. Matthew Pace had to resign because he was caught in a position of conflict of interest: while voting in favour of the dB project permit in Pembroke, he was already selling apartments through the real estate agency of which he is part-owner. Today is a day of shame because it is part-evidence that the Government of Malta was run by delinquents.”
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Keith Schembri u l-kaxxi ‘vojta’
Fi stqarrija dwar l-akkużi fil-qorti illum fil-konfront taċ-Chief of Staff tal-ex-PM Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri u għaxar persuni oħra, akkużati fost affarjiet oħra bi frodi, korruzzjoni, ħasil ta’ flus, iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo qal:
“Illum Keith Schembri u 10 persuni oħra, kif ukoll għoxrin kumpanija illum ittellgħu l-Qorti. Huma akkużati bi frodi, korruzzjoni, ħasil ta’ flus u iktar. Dan li qed iseħħ illum huwa prova li l-istituzzjonijiet ma ħadmux kif kellhom jaħdmu. Għax kellhom ikunu l-kaxxi ‘vojta’ ta’ Simon Busuttil, li wara li ġew investigati mill-Maġistrat wasslu għall-passi tal-lum, minflok ma ħadu passi l-istutuzzjonijiet. Illum hu jum ta’ niket. Jum ta’ għajb.”
“Dak li kien ‘in-number one’ ta’ Malta hu akkużat li hu maħmuġ. Miegħu hemm oħrajn fosthom persuna li l-Gvern kien appuntah bħala membru tal-Bord tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, Matthew Pace. Matthew Pace kellu jirreżenja għax inqabad b’kunflitt ta’ interess: waqt li kien qed jivvota favur il-permess tal-proġett tad-dB f’Pembroke kien diġa qed ibiegħ l-appartamenti permezz tal-aġenzija tal-propjetà li kellu sehem fiha. Illum jum tal-mistħija għax tal-lum hi biċċa prova li l-Gvern ta’ Malta kien immexxi mill-ħmieġ.”
