PN hits out at Mallia: ‘He should have reported corruption allegations in 2010’

The Nationalist Party has accused home affairs minister Manuel Mallia of not coming forward with allegations of bribery to the police, when as a lawyer he represented the John's Group and was aware that shareholder George Farrugia was siphoning off funds from family business Powerplan.

"Mallia must take political responsibility for what Farrugia told the PAC yesterday," the PN said, referring to Farrugia's testimony in the public accounts committee, which is carrying out an inquiry on the Auditor General's report on Enemalta's fuel procurement policy.

Farrugia, who was granted a presidential pardon to turn State's evidence on the network of bribery inside Enemalta, said that in 2010 Mallia was already aware of the bribery taking place on fuel procurement.

"According to Farrugia, Mallia actually threatened him he would report him to the police unless he reaches a settlement with the John's Group," the PN said.

Farrugia was accused by the John's Group, his family business, of taking funds from oil importing subsidiary Powerplan, and siphoning them off to his personal company Aikon Ltd.

"Mallia was already aware of this corruption three years ago, but did nothing to reveal this corruption. Joseph Muscat and Mallia cannot stay silent and they must answer on what Farrugia has revealed, by explaining how instead of working in the national interest, they ended up using this information on corruption for electoral reasons."