Police Commissioner: ‘not prudent to comment’ over Fenech-Farrugia meeting

Police Commissioner John Rizzo says it’s not prudent for Police to comment over the investigation involving George Farrugia and statements made by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo.
Police Commissioner John Rizzo.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo declined to comment over statements made by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech late this afternoon, even when asked whether Fenech enjoyed his permission to reveal the details of the meeting held yesterday between the two.

"Given that the police investigation is still ongoing, it is not prudent for the police to divulge information on the investigation," Rizzo told MaltaToday when asked whether he would confirm what Fenech said and whether he had given Fenech his permission to be quoted.

Fenech yesterday revealed he asked for a confrontation at the police headquarters with George Farrugia - who turned State's evidence on the allegations of kickbacks from Trafigura to an Enemalta consultant - over allegations made by Labour MPs that he had gifted the minister with a €5,000 artisanal clock upon assuming responsibility for Enemalta.

"The Commissioner of Police told me what had been recorded in the Farrugia deposition... it turns out Farrugia's sister-in-law is an amateur clockmaker who wanted to give me this token," Fenech said, confirming the gift but disputing the overstated value that Labour MP Evarist Bartolo tagged it at in a press conference.

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L-ewwel ħaġa nixtieq nistaqsi jekk il-Kummissarju għamils sewwa meta ippermetta lill-Ministru Tonio Fenech jiffaċċja lill-George Farrugia fid-depot tal-pulizija . Jekk kellu jsir dan il-konfront jien ta l-opinjoni li kellu jsir quddiem il-qorti . Xi dritt kellu Tonio Fenech li jmur id-depot għall dan il-konfront . Dan ma jammontax għall tip ta' pressjoni biex ma ngħidtx li hu forma ta' tħeddid fin fin u biex jagħti twiddiba lill George Farrugia halli ma jimplikax ministri jew deputati tal-gvern ?
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Allura li l-Ministru Fenech waqt konferenza stampa jikkwota dak li gie diskuss bejnu,u is-Sur Gorg Farrugia quddiem il Kummissarju tal Pulizija, kien u hu prudenti?
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Paul Pandolfino
I can assure all that ALL members of Parliament receive gifts especially during the Christmas period. Anyone who happens to reside near an Mp residence can vouch for that because he surely can see for himself.Even ex Ministers of yrs gone bye still receive their share during Christmas.
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So if Tonio Fenech did not quote the Police Commissioner correctly WE WILL NEVER KNOW before 9 March ! All in the family , I would say !
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Rita Pizzuto
Tonio has been in real need of a clock to time out his and his party's exit. So he is lucky enough that he found a woman who admires him so much that is helping him to enjoy his time wondering where he has gone wrong. Normally a clock or watch is given to a person retiring from work symbolizing that his working days are over. The clock presented to Tonio as a gift has the same meaning....those were the days, now move over for somebody who really cares about US Maltese citizens.
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I would recomend to Tonio Fenech to open a Gift Shop and invite Lawrence gonzi to inaugurate the shop before the election and let PBS do the marketing.
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I think the Commissioner should either explain clearly Fenech's case or he should resign since Fenech said he demanded a meeting, a confrontation with the Commissioner and Farrugia himself. Who is this Fenech to dictate to the Commissioner? He might still be a Minister but he is a common citizen like me and everybody. It is true then that the commissioner doesn't treat all the citizens as one and equal?
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Sur Ministru , hu irrelevanti kemm jiswa dan l-arloġġ , jibqa il-fatt li int l-ewwel għidt qatt ma ltqajt ma dan George Farrugia u li qatt ma irċivejt rigali mingħand ħadd . Issa jirrizulta li inti mhux biss iltqajt ma George Farrugia mill anqas tlett darbiet , izda wkoll li int aċċettajt rigal mingħand il-mara ta' ħu George Farrugia għax kienet tammirak . Mela inti gdibt għall diversi drabi , Sur Ministru . Issa inti taf li skont il-kodiċi ta' etika maħruġ min Dr Eddie Fenech Adami , hu irrelevanti kemm ikun jiswa ir-rigal , int bħala Ministru ma kellek qatt taċċetta rigali mingħand ħadd .
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Sur Ministru , hu irrelevanti kemm jiswa dan l-arloġġ , jibqa il-fatt li int l-ewwel għidt qatt ma ltqajt ma dan George Farrugia u li qatt ma irċivejt rigali mingħand ħadd . Issa jirrizulta li inti mhux biss iltqajt ma George Farrugia mill anqas tlett darbiet , izda wkoll li int aċċettajt rigal mingħand il-mara ta' ħu George farrugia għax kienet tammirak . Mela inti gdibt għall diversi drabi , Sur Ministru . Issa inti taf li skont il-kodiċi ta' etika maħruġ min Dr Eddie Fenech Adami , hu irrelevanti kemm ikun jiswa ir-rigal , int bħala Ministru ma kellek qatt taċċetta rigali mingħand ħadd .
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Punt iehor ghaziz Kummissarju. Kieku jien minnek naghmel analizi fil-kamra fejn taghmel l-interrogazzjonijiet ghax ghandi il-hsieb li hemm xi virus idur u qed jattaka is-sistema cerebrali ta min jigi jati xi forma ta rapport jew depozizzjoni. Min jinsa kontijiet fl-isvizzera, min jinsa li jiguh in-nies id-dar min jinsa xgara dwar il-BWSC. Hemm xi haga ma tinkwadrax. Ahjar iccempel lil tas-sanita jew tal-comtec ad disinfestazzjoni ax hemm il-marda jghidula MANIFTAKARXINITIOUS
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Ghaziz Kummissarju fi kliemek Tonio kien diga imprudenti meta ghamel konferenza stampa ta 60 minuta u fost hafna inkonsistenzi qal id-dettalji kollha li ntqalu quddiemek meta iltaqa ma George Farrugia. Billi tikkonferma jekk qalx il-verita jew le mintix ha tkun imprudenti u ahna bhala cittadini u int qieghed hemm as servizz taghna dan ghandek bi dritt tghidulna. Ahna ma rridux inkunu nafu xintqal imma jekk li qal Tonio Fenech huwiex is-sewwa ax f60 minuta bidel il-verzjoni xi 6 darbiet.
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I think the commissioner owes us an explanation. Prudent or not we need to known the facts from the horses mouth not from a person who is implicated in this admiration gift delivered to his home by two of the biggest oil dealers in Malta.
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Ghaziz Kummissarju fi kliemek Tonio kien diga imprudenti meta ghamel konferenza stampa ta 60 minuta u fost hafna inkonsistenzi qal id-dettalji kollha li ntqalu quddiemek meta iltaqa ma George Farrugia. Billi tikkonferma jekk qalx il-verita jew le mintix ha tkun imprudenti u ahna bhala cittadini u int qieghed hemm as servizz taghna dan ghandek bi dritt tghidulna. Ahna ma rridux inkunu nafu xintqal imma jekk li qal Tonio Fenech huwiex is-sewwa ax f60 minuta bidel il-verzjoni xi 6 darbiet.
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when asked by MaltaToday whether he would confirm what Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said and whether he had given Fenech his permission to be quoted. Police Commissioner John Rizzo said "Given that the police investigation is still ongoing, it is not prudent for the police to divulge information on the investigation," so Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has lied again. Faċilità Korretiva ta' Kordin.is waiting for you My friend
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I specifically heard Tonio state that the value would run into hundreds of Euros. Now I know many business people who would talk about values in terms on so many hundreds of hundreds, when they mean tens of thousands. It is a matter of speech.
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Since the Finance Minister used his powers of incumbency to get information, if true, from the Commissioner of Police, as he claimed, then the Police Commissioner has the duty towards the Citizens of Malta to clear this situation. Failing to do so would imply complicity with the PN when the facts eventually come to light, as come to light they must.
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Miskin, dan Tonio, kullhadd kontrieh! Itolbu forsi l-Papa l-gdid jipperswaduh jaghmlu qaddis. Wara kollox kien ikollu di-Dehriet.
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Artisanal works of art can be priceless, watch the Antiques Roadshow on BBC and you will be amazed. That being so, a gift is a gift and should not be offered or accepted if it is not allowed. Hats off to one of Tonio's employees, the Director of Contracts who won't even accept a promotional diary at Christmas time.