Cassola hits out at corruption commission’s ‘Byzantine behaviour’

Arnold Cassola has accused the chairman of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption of “hindering the attainment of truth and justice”.

In a terse statement on Friday, the independent election candidate lamented that he has not been provided with the results of corruption investigations he had requested.

Cassola said the chairman is hiding behind “all sorts of bureaucratic formalities and excuses” in order not to provide the complainant with the outcomes of investigations.

Cassola had reported former prime minister Joseph Muscat and then parliamentary secretary Michael Farrugia for corruption three years ago and former Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg almost two years ago.

“The chairman is always hiding behind rules, regulations and excuses that he does not have enough staff and that it is not easy to find honest transcribers of witnesses' testimonies, in order to keep everything under wraps. His Byzantine behaviour has reduced the commission to a useless and a toothless tool,” Cassola hit out.

“Rather than contributing to transparency and justice, the commission itself has become a hindrance to the attainment of truth and justice,” he added.

The commission is chaired by retired judge Lawrence Quintano.