[WATCH] Schembri lawyer: Police must disclose magisterial inquiry

Schembri lawyer: Police must disclose magisterial inquiry

Keith Schembri’s lawyers have insisted that the police tell them whether there were any kickbacks, as alleged in the criminal complaint against the former chief of staff to Joseph Muscat.

Speaking to the media after leaving the police headquarters in Floriana, lawyer Edward Gatt said police should disclose what the conclusions of the magisterial inquiry were.

Joseph Muscat’s right-hand man was arrested and is being interrogated at police depot over bribery and money laundering allegations.

Schembri was arrested at around 1am at his Mellieħa home on Tuesday.

The police investigation is linked to allegations that emerged in 2017 that Schembri received €100,000 in kickbacks from Tonna over the sale of Maltese citizenship to a Russian family.

A magistrate recently concluded an investigation into the allegations and passed on the inquiry results to the Attorney General.

The magisterial inquiry kick-started in April 2017 when then Opposition leader Simon Busuttil forwarded documentation to the magistrate.

READ ALSO: Schembri seeks access to inquiry that prompted his arrest

“Before the conclusions are made public, we are not going to participate in the interrogation process,” Gatt said.

He said that they are insisting with police that conclusions are disclosed with them.

“At the moment, my client testified within the acts of the inquiry, from now on what is important is not what my client said, what is important are the conclusions made by the magistrate and that is what we are insisting,” he said before leaving the premises.

Police can detain individuals for 48 hours, after which they will have to press charges or release the suspects.

READ ALSO: Keith Schembri was arrested at his Mellieħa home at 1am after court's freezing order