Rosianne Cutajar to retain MP seat despite ethics breach

Rosianne Cutajar will remain a Member of Parliament and has pledged to contest the next general election, despite an unfavourable parliamentary standards investigation that found irregularities with her role as a broker in a property sale for Yorgen Fenech.

Cutajar took to Facebook to hit out at the Standards Commissioner George Hyzler, accusing him of double standards in the conclusion of his report.

"The Commissioner believed the version-of-events of a person who presented an affidavit to the Public Notary with the aim of showing this affidavit to the media, but for some reason this affidavit was torn to pieces once this investigation began so that it can't be used against this person," she wrote.

Cutajar further claimed that the affidavit was drafted for political reasons, and with the encouragement of a "known person".

"It is also surprising how on more than one occasion Hyzler says that there are two diametrically opposed versions but then he chose to believe the version of Joe Camilleri," she pointed out.

Camilleri is said to be chasing Cutajar over the €46,500 brokerage fee he had paid her.

The MP stated that the witnesses questioned during the investigation had lied in their testimony. "They said that I bought my house in Qormi with that money. We brought documents showing that this is not true, including the loan taken from the bank to pay for this property."

"They said I counted the brokerage money with my father. Lies," she added.

"They said that when they brought me the money, my driver at the time collected Camilleri from Triq l-Ifran in Valletta. My ex-driver confirmed on oath that this was not true."

Cutajar also presented text messages to the Commissioner in an attempt to corroberate her version of events.

"I will not go into the merits after the reasoning of the Commissioner. After all, I never intended to attack any institution in our country, but I could not remain silent. Despite all that I have gone through in recent months, I am still full of courage."

She concluded with a confirmation that she will stay on as an MP, and will wait for a decision from the Parliamentary Committee on Standards on what the next course of action will be.

She also confirmed that she will be contesting the next general election.

READ ALSO: PM summons Rosianne Cutajar as Hyzler calls for tax investigation