Gonzi and George Farrugia’s wife worked together at Mizzi House

Lawrence Gonzi's denials of having met oil trader George Farrugia or having links to Farrugia or his wife, have been belied by the latest version the former prime minister has given to this newspaper.

Following MaltaToday's revelations on the Enemalta oil procurement scandal in January 2013, Gonzi denied ever meeting Farrugia to discuss fuel procurement matters or having any links to Farrugia or his wife.

Speaking to MaltaToday days before the 9 March election - and after having recommended a presidential pardon for Farrugia to turn State's evidence - Gonzi said: "No I never knew them. I rarely... rarely did I meet or have any contact with the Farrugia family, which is a well-known family in Hamrun and in business circles. The only times we met were public events, as evidenced by pictures published showing the open day at the Safi Aviation Park where I met thousands of people, including George Farrugia and a relative of his. It's just a picture, which does not mean that I knew with whom George Farrugia was that day."

Asked specifically, whether he knew Farrugia's wife - who is shown in a DOI photo and another photo in part organ In-Nazzjon of 8 October, 2012, chatting to Gonzi - the prime minister had said: "I don't know who she is, I would not recognise her were I to meet her. It could be, maybe yes, maybe not, but I never had anything to do with her."

Now it turns out that Gonzi and Kathy Anne Bugeja worked for the same company, in the same building for years. Answering MaltaToday's questions on whether he knew Kathy Bugeja, Gonzi said: "Kathy Bugeja was secretary to one of the Mizzis, however she was not my secretary. My secretary back then was Josephine Galea, who happens to be (former PN leadership contender) Louis Galea's wife."

He added that he could not recall whom of the Mizzi Group directors Bugeja was secretary to and for how long the two worked together at the company's headquarters Mizzi House. 

Emails in this newspaper's possession confirm the familiarity of Gonzi with Kathy Bugeja. In September 2004, George Farrugia introduced himself to the former prime minister with this opener: "I am George Farrugia, husband of Kathy who used to work with you at Mizzi House."

In another email dated 18 October, Farrugia told Gonzi: "Kathy and all the family wish you all the best. We offer prayers everyday so God will illuminate you in your work."

This week, Gonzi issued a statement in which he denied meeting oil trader George Farrugia to discuss fuel procurement matters, after emails presented in court by MaltaToday in a defamation case, revealed the scale of intimacy between Farrugia and government ministers.

However, Gonzi did declare, for the first time ever, that he met Farrugia and entrepreneur Beppe Hili, on a proposal to develop an oil terminal at Benghisa.

In a statement, Gonzi reiterated comments he made on 9 December that he had never held any meetings with Farrugia "on any subject related to fuel procurement from Enemalta".

"Whoever says that Gonzi [sic] met him on this matter is blatantly lying," the statement reads.

Farrugia turned State's evidence after being granted a presidential pardon, when MaltaToday revealed back in January 2013 that one of the companies he represented - Dutch commodities giant Trafigura - was paying an Enemalta consultant a "commission" on the supply of oil to Enemalta. The resulting criminal investigation revealed a network of bribery reaching up right to the top echelons of Enemalta management.

In his statement released Tuesday, Gonzi said the only time he met socially with Farrugia was during an open day at the Safi Aviation Park in 2012, where photos were taken of Gonzi meeting visitors, amongst them Farrugia and his family.