Castille mum on Olaph Terribile case

The proceedings are reportedly stalled before the Public Service Commission (PSC) because it has not pursued any disciplinary action against Terribile, having deemed that the case was referred to it after the end of the prescription period.

This decision was challenged by both the Attorney General and Godwin Grima as the Principle Permanent Secretary, who insist the case was submitted within the stipulated timeframe.

Former Attorney General Silvio Camilleri had recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the President’s former right-hand man, but found no grounds for criminal proceedings to be initiated.

The case has since been shelved, with the PSC refusing to examine the allegations.

Reacting to a series of reports in MaltaToday regarding allegations of impropriety at the Palace, President George Abela had called a press conference at San Anton Palace to publicly announce he had dumped Terribile, a seasoned civil servant.

Abela said that he had lost faith in his secretary, and announced that he had written to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi with a request for an inquiry, which was later conducted by former Cabinet secretary Alfred Fiorini Lowell.

The report submitted by Abela was based on what his press aide Marica Mizzi had told him about a conversation with the Malta Independent’s political editor Noel Grima, during a state dinner in honour of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on 30 June, 2010.

Mizzi alleged that Grima had suggested Terribile had leaked official documents to the press, and passed them on to MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan.

The allegations were proved to be untrue, as the Fiorini-Lowell inquiry established that Terribile never met with Balzan.

The conclusions of the inquiry were later passed on to the Attorney General by Gonzi for “advice”, however even here, the Attorney General found no grounds for any criminal action to be taken against Terribile.

It was pointed out by the Attorney General, that Terribile should be subjected to disciplinary proceedings. The reason for this remains unknown.

Once back at Castille, the file was immediately archived by the PSC board that stressed that there could be no assessment of the case according to the law that regulates the public service, given that there was a time-lapse.

While the matter was raised by the media over the past few months, the Terribile case became a concern for the Palace, as an eventual acquittal of the former secretary to the Presidency would be a grave embarrassment for President Abela.

MaltaToday is informed that informal contacts between officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Palace have been ongoing in a bid to find a solution to the matter.

Terribile, who has since returned to the Foreign Office and leading the Protocol Office, is still waiting to be cleared by the PSC to be able to travel to London and take up the post of Deputy High Commissioner.