Police charge two businessmen in Tabone oil bunkering company

Two business partners in bunkering firm Island Bunker Oils - Francis Portelli, 63 of Ta' Xbiex, and Anthony Cassar, 63 of Tarxien - were granted bail after they were charged on corruption and money laundering - but not specifically in relation to the alleged kickbacks paid to an Enemalta consultant on the supply of oil to the state utility.

They are being charged for their role as directors in Island Bunker Oils and its subsidiaries Eldaren Shipping, Oarsman Maritime, Anchor Oils, FP Holdings, AOH Ltd, Gringrams Holdings, Island Oils Holdings and Anchor Bay Maritime for having corrupted former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone and Frank Sammut, the former chief executive of Mediterranean Offshore Bunkering Company Limited (MOBC), between the years 2002 and 2005.

Portelli and Cassar were also charged with complicity to trading in influence in public tenders and committed money laundering.

Portelli and Cassar are shareholders in the same company - Island Bunker Oils - that former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone, charged yesterday on similar charges, joined in 2008.

The two businessmen were charged this afternoon: both were granted bail against a deposit of €20,000 and a personal guarantee of an additional €20,000 each.

The two have been placed on a curfew, whereby they must not leave their homes between midnight and 7am.

On request by the prosecution, the court ordered that all assets belonging to the accused be immediately frozen.

Both the prosecution and the defence counsel established that today's freezing order, supersedes an attachment order which was previously issued by the criminal court at the height of the investigations.

Prosecuting Inspector Angelo Gafà informed the court that this case was separate from the arraignment of last Tuesday of Tancred Tabone and Frank Sammut, the former Enemalta and MOBC consultant suspected of having received kickbacks from Trafigura.

"This case is not about commissions. The two are being charged following intensive investigations. But in view of the gravity of the charges being levelled against Portelli and Cassar, which involves money laundering, police were opposing bail," Inspector Gafà said.

Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell, who spoke for Cassar and Portelli's defence team which includes lawyers Anne Fenech and Andre Mizzi, told Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit that it was more than clear that there are two different investigations.

"Our clients are not facing the same charges as two other suspects who were arraigned last Tuesday," Tonna Lowell said, adding that they should be granted bail, given that they have been granted Police bail many times.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar interrupted to inform the Court that both Portelli and Cassar were cooperative with the Police during investigations.

Last Tuesday, Tancred Tabone, 60, of Sliema and Frank Sammut, 62, of Marsaxlokk pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of corruption and money laundering, connected to the oil procurement scandal.

Both were granted bail against a deposit of €3,000 and a personal guarantee of €15,000 each.

The Attorney General has meanwhile filed an application, in which he has called on the Criminal Court to revoke their bail on the basis of the gravity of the charges being brought against Tabone and Sammut.

In a sitting to be held next Monday before Mr. Justice David Scicluna, the Attorney General will insist to have Tabone and Sammut remanded into custody.

Meanwhile the Court has appointed Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit to preside over the compilation of evidence against Tancred Tabone, while Magistrate Anthony Vella will preside over Frank Sammut's case.

Both Tabone and Sammut have been served with an order for seizure of all their assets.