Following Keith Schembri’s day in court today, we learnt that Joseph Muscat’s former Chief of Staff,  paid $5.5 million in bribes in a single deal. ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said: “Schembri ‘achieved’ this before be became Chief of Staff and before he had a say in major deals as the PM’s Chief of Staff, signed with so-called private investors. However the accountants and advisors who sat on the adjudicating panels or even sat on boards approving major projects on behalf of the government and the public, are the same individuals who today stand accused of supporting Schembri’s criminal scheme. What exactly went on while Schembri was in office as the Chief of Staff, handpicked by Joseph Muscat? We deserve to know. We call for an immediate root and branch review of all transactions that Schembri was involved in while Chief of Staff. We have a right to know whether we have been swindled by Schembri’s cronies for the benefit of a select few.”

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Kull m’għamel Schembri bħala Chief of Staff għandu jiġi investigat

Illum minn dak li ħareġ mill-qorti sirna nafu li Keith Schembri xaħħam u xxaħħam $5.5 miljuni f’biċċa negozju wieħed. Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo qal:”It-tixħim li sirna nafu bih illum sar qabel Schembri ġie appuntat bħala Chief of Staff minn Joseph Muscat. Iżda waqt li kien Chief of Staff, Keith Schembri kellu influwenza u sehem f’diskussjonijiet dwar diversi proġetti u ftehim ma’ dawk li suppost kienu investituri privati. L-accountants u l-konsulenti li taw il-pariri fuq dawn il-biċċiet negozju u li okkupaw pożizzjonijiet fuq bordijiet ta’ aġġudikazzjoni li approvaw proġetti tal-maġġuri huma l-istess individwi li illum tressqu l-qorti akkuzati li għenu lil Schembri fl-aġir kriminali tiegħu. Dawn in-nies kienu u baqgħu ħaġa waħda ma’ Keith Schembri kemm qabel kif ukoll waqt li kien Chief of Staff. X’ġara eżatt meta Schembri kien Chief of Staff? Għandna d-dritt inkunu nafu. Nitolbu u nesiġu investigazzjoni fil-fond tat-transazzjonijiet kollha li Schembri kien involut fihom waqt li kien Chief of Staff. Għandna dritt insiru nafu jekk ġejniex milgħubin minn Schembri u sħabu għall-benefiċċju tal-ftit.”