Court indicts Anthony Debono, compilation of evidence continues

A high ranking government official today told court how investigations into the works-for-votes allegations at the Ministry for Gozo had been initiated on the strength of a report carried by MaltaToday.

This morning John Borg, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Gozo, told Magistrate Neville Camilleri that he had alerted the Principal Permanent Secretary and the police of the allegations following the publication of a report in the 8 March edition of MaltaToday.

Borg also told the magistrate how Gozo Minister Anton Refalo had walked out of a meeting with ministry officials and Gozitan contractor-turned whistleblower Joe Cauchi when the whistleblower started to list the works he had carried out on private properties. 

Borg told the court that the works-for-votes arrangement had been discussed at this meeting, held on the 17th of October , where Borg and the Director of Works, Joe Portelli had met with whistleblower Joe Cauchi.

Gozo minister Anton Refalo had also been present at the meeting, during which Cauchi had informed them that he was owed upwards of €50,000 by the ministry for works which he had carried out.

However, when Cauchi started reading out the list of works for which he was awaiting payment, Refalo walked out, saying that he no longer wished to be present at the meeting.

The magistrate upheld a request by defence lawyer Joe Giglio, ordering the Commissioner of Police to provide the defence with a list of all witnesses which they planned to summon, together with a description of what they will be testifying about.

After retiring to his chambers for around thirty minutes, the magistrate emerged and declared that there were sufficient grounds to place the Anthony Debono under a bill of indictment. The court will continue the compilation of evidence next week.

MaltaToday had broken the “Gozoworks” story in March, announcing that a Gozitan whistleblower had revealed the existence of a scheme to perform construction work, free of charge, to constituents and potential voters for former minister Giovanna Debono. The scheme had been organised months before the 2013 election right up to election day.

The scheme involved private Gozitan building contractors who had been commissioned by Anthony Debono, an employee at the Gozo ministry, to carry out cement, concrete and construction works on quarries, private homes, roads and garages to constituents at no cost to them.

No tenders were issued for the work carried out and neither did the contractors receive a letter of acceptance for the work done.

All the material used in these works was provided by the Gozo ministry itself,  including cement, stone and metal mesh.

In order to be paid, the contractors would invoice the Gozo ministry for fictitious works under other projects being carried out by the works department of the Ministry for Gozo, in which Anthony Debono was involved.

10:14 The court has adjourned Matthew Agius

10:10 The court, having seen the evidence presented so far and taking into consideration the declaration by the defence that it would not contest "prima facie", declared that there are sufficient grounds to place the accused under a bill of indictment. Matthew Agius

10:09 The magistrate has pointed out that the AG has ordered the Commissioner of Police to provide the defence with a list of all witnesses which they plan to summon and what they will testify about. The defence requested time to review this evidence and make submissions on the matter. The court ordered the Commissioner of Police to provide the defence with this list and to declare what material evidence he has in his possession. Matthew Agius

09:51 The accused, together with lawyer Joe Giglio and the prosecution, have returned to the courtroom Matthew Agius

09:35 Next witness. Anna Maria Vella who works in HR with the ministry. The witness said that the accused had been employed from the 13.08.87 (with Public Works Division) till the 11.03.13. The prosecution have informed the court that they have no more witnesses for today. The court has adjourned for a brief period. Matthew Agius

09:31 Inspecor Abdilla asked him how things would work under Debono’s watch. He showed Calleja a receipt, exhibited in the acts of the proceedings. Calleja said that it is a receipt which he had signed. “This is from the personal file of Anthony Debono. They are payment vouchers.” Matthew Agius

09:28 Mr. Calleja is giving an overview of the structure and role of the Ministry for Gozo and CMU to the court Matthew Agius

09:22 Mario Callej, Director of Operations at the Ministry for Gozo has taken to the stand Matthew Agius

09:22 The witness said he had given them a list of sites and works , wells, garages, and so on. Debono would tell him to make false invoices, which would then be verified by the CMU and paid. He said 75% of them would be for the private sector. Matthew Agius

09:21 In a meeting with the advisor to the minister, lawyer Grezzju Mercieca , Cauchi said that he had performed works both on the strength of a letter of acceptance and others upon request by Anthony Debono, whom the witness did not know. Matthew Agius

09:20 John Borg, Permanent secretary at the ministry for Gozo is testifiying Matthew Agius

Previous reports

'Simon Busuttil asked why I carried out works when PN was going to lose election anyway’ - Gozoworks whistleblower

Anthony Debono’s defence claims ‘private’ works fell within CMU’s remit

Debono told Gozo contractor to issue false invoices for payments