Vincent Muscat ‘il-Koħħu’’s court testimony yesterday underscores the need for a fully  comprehensive, well-resourced and truly independent anti-Mafia structure in Malta. 

Muscat testified under oath about the execution of plans for the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. His testimony shows a complex network with deeply worrying elements linking politics and power to organised crime creating an illegitimate and parasitic power structure. 

Muscat told the court that former minister Chris Cardona supplied valuable information to the group of hitmen on developments in the investigation relating to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. He also described former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri as “in-number one ta’ Malta”. He also mentions other individuals who appears have acted as go-betweens or messengers between the top and low echelons of the organisation.

ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said:”Following these revelations – and following the other recent revelations by Muscat about how other assassinations were carried out – it becomes clear that Muscat was a member of a Mafia that has gone unpunished in Malta for too long. We must defeat all forms of Mafia and remain vigilant for future threats.”

ADPD spokesperson Matthew Mizzi added: ”There must therefore be a fully comprehensive and well-resourced investigation into the Maltese Mafia. There must be a real effort to trace and bring down every single level of this Mafia. We reiterate our call for the establishment of an anti-Mafia prosecutor with full investigative and prosecutorial powers.

In addition, it becomes clear that the links between the Mafia and politics in Malta are potentially too many to guarantee the independence of such an investigation. We therefore call for an international monitor to follow and be given access to such anti-Mafia investigation and report on any case of undue influence.

Our society is at a historical crossroads. We can only rid ourselves of the Mafia if we establish the full truth.”

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Malta teħtieġ prosekutur kontra l-mafja

Ix-xhieda fil-Qorti ta’ Vincent Muscat ‘il-Koħħu’ ilbieraħ tikxef il-ħtieġa ta’ struttura b’saħħitha kontra l-mafja f’Malta. Stuttura bir-riżorsi meħtieġa u tassew indipendenti.

Muscat xehed taħt ġurament dwar il-pjanijiet għall-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia. Ix-xhieda tiegħu turi xibka kumplessa b’elementi inkwetanti ħafna li jgħaqqdu l-politika u l-poter mal-kriminalità organizzata, u li joħolqu struttura ta’ poter illeġittimu u parassita.

Muscat qal lill-qorti li l-eks-Ministru Chris Cardona pprovda informazzjoni siewja lill-assassini dwar żviluppi fl-investigazzjoni marbuta mal-qtil ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Huwa ddeskriva wkoll lill-eks-kap tas-segretarjat personali tal-Prim Ministru Keith Schembri bħala “n-numru wieħed ta ‘Malta”. Huwa jsemmi wkoll individwi oħra li jidhru li aġixxew bħala messaġġiera bejn l-ogħla gradi u dawk aktar baxxi tal-organizzazzjoni kriminali.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo qal: “Wara dawn ir-rivelazzjonijiet – u wara r-rivelazzjonijiet l-oħra riċenti ta’ Muscat dwar kif twettaq assassinju ieħor – jidher ċar li Muscat kien membru ta’ Mafja li ilha tinfetta lil Malta għal żmien twil. Irridu negħlbu kull forma ta’ Mafja f’pajjiżna u nibqgħu viġilanti għal theddid simili fil-ġejjieni.”

Il-kelliem ta’ ADPD Matthew Mizzi żied:“Għandu jkun hemm investigazzjoni fil-fond u u b’riżorsi tajbin dwar il-Mafja Maltija. Għandu jkun hemm sforz reali biex titkisser il-Mafja f’Malta. Aħna ntennu t-talba tagħna għat-twaqqif ta’ prosekutur kontra l-Mafja b’poteri investigattivi u ta’ prosekuzzjoni effettivi.

Barra minn hekk, jidher ċar li r-rabtiet bejn il-Mafja u l-politika f’Malta huma potenzjalment tant imħabbla li biex niggarantixxu l-indipendenza ta’ investigazzjoni bħal din, hemm bżonn ta’ osservaturi internazzjonali biex isegwu l-investigazzjoni u jkunu viġilanti għal kwalunkwe każ ta’ influwenza żejda jew tfixkil tal-investigazzjoni.

Is-soċjetà tagħna tinsab f’salib it-toroq storiku. Nistgħu neħilsu mill-Mafja f’pajjiżna biss jekk naslu għall-verità sħiħa.”