Muscat to publish Gozo drug inquiry findings ‘following analysis’

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat confirmed late on Wednesday evening that he had received a final report containing the findings of an inquiry into the alleged involvement of two ministers in a drug trafficking case.

MaltaToday revealed last month that in 2013 two government ministers met at the Gozo ministry at night with the father of a person identified as a drug trafficker by a woman arrested by the police after being found to be in possession of heroin.

Following the meeting the woman, who had identified two men who had supplied her with drugs, changed her statement so that the two men were no longer implicated and were never charged.

In a statement, the prime minister said he had originally received the report on Tuesday but had asked for some clarifications, leading to a final report being submitted on Wednesday.

He said the report would be published as soon as possible after it is analysed.

MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan confirmed that he had met lawyer John Vassallo, who was appointed to lead the inquiry, two weeks ago and had then presented further details this past Monday.  

In an interview on Net TV on Tuesday, opposition leader Simon Busuttil said Muscat was, without any doubt, covering for two of his ministers.

He said he was expecting the conclusions of the inquiry to be a “whitewash” in favour of the government, especially since the government had appointed a former Labour candidate to investigate claims against two Labour ministers, instead of appointing an independent three-judge inquiry board.