PM denies knowledge of alleged LESA racket, Home Affairs Minister calls it 'desperate attack'

Prime Minister Robert Abela has categorically denied claims made by former MP Jason Azzopardi that he was aware of wrongdoing at LESA but did nothing about it.

In a statement issued by the Department of Information on Friday, Abela said the allegation was “a lie”.

He was referring to a court application filed earlier today by Azzopardi in which he requested a magisterial inquiry into wrongdoing at the local enforcement agency. The application claimed that a multimillion euro racket was fraudulently transferring penalty points incurred by Maltese drivers onto tourist rental cars.

Azzopardi claimed that the agency’s CEO Svetlick Flores and customer care official Neville Camilleri, a Paola Labour councillor, of using a software “backdoor” to access the LESA computer database undetected.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri

Azzopardi further claimed that the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri knew about the scandal but did nothing about it.

“This is a lie and a vile declaration made by the individual who filed the court application,” Abela said, describing Azzopardi as a coward for using a judicial application to make such claims.

Meanwhile, Byron Camilleri described the court application as another “coordinated and desperate act” to try and tarnish his reputation and integrity.

“Those who know me, know how I have always operated and this is why I am looking forward to the allegations being investigated,” Camilleri said in a Facebook post.

In a separate statement, LESA and its CEO denied the claims, adding it was willing to cooperate fully with any investigation.

“No form of abuse or actions that erode our integrity are tolerated,” the agency said, adding that any transfer of driving penalty points can be shifted to another driver through a well-documented process.