Daphne Foundation lawyers to inquire over Svetlana Muscat’s appointment as prison head of strategy

Lawyers for the Daphne Foundation will be writing to authorities questioning the methods as to how and why Svetlana Muscat allowed “illict and improper meetings” were held in her office by Yorgen Fenech.

In questions to the Commissioner of Police, to the Minister for Home Affairs, and to the prison authorities, lawyers will also be raising questions about the method and purpose of Muscat’s appointment.

“At best, her appointment to Malta’s prison service reflects yet another instance of the public service being abused to pay off One employees and others closely linked to the governing party to the detriment of the public interest it is meant to serve. At worst, the alleged abuse of her role to facilitate illicit meetings in prison for those accused of serious crime is suggestive that criminal, corrupt or unethical influence has infiltrated the structures that are meant to prevent it,” the foundation said.

MaltaToday was first to reveal that CCF Head of Strategy Svetlana Muscat was interrogated by police over why she allowed Daphne Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech to hold meetings at her office in prison.

She has been put on forced leave by the ministry, and is out on police bail.

“Svetlana Muscat’s alleged facilitation of illicit meetings in her prison office for Yorgen Fenech, who is in custody pending trial for Daphne’s murder, spotlights the lack of meritocracy in the public service which is eroding good governance and enabling corruption and abuse. Muscat’s appointment appears to violate Council of Europe prison rules, particularly rules 76 and 77 on the need for prison staff to be carefully selected, properly trained, and have the professional capacity and personal suitability for their role. Muscat’s alleged actions undermine the stability of the prison system,” the foundation said.

The foundation also pointed out that her directorship of companies linked to Ruja Ignatova’s OneCoin scam and her appointments on multiple companies enabled by Iosif Galea, who now stands charged with financial crime, should have disqualified her from any role in the Correctional Services Agency.