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Minister’s aide to be charged with extortion over FTS contracts
It has taken the police 11 months to press charges against Caruana, after MaltaToday first reported in November 2016 that FTS former CEO, Philip Rizzo, had alleged corruption in the issuing of direct orders for the renovation of government schools
29 October 2017, 8:30am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
1 min read
Evarist Bartolo’s (left) former permanent secretary Joseph Caruana (centre), was recently transferred to the finance ministry. His brother Edward Caruana (right) has spent the last 11 months under investigation over fraud and extortion, and charges will be filed on Monday
The police are expected to arraign a minister’s aide and canvasser on charges of extortion in the commission of works for the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools.
Edward Caruana, 57, formerly a chief canvasser of education minister Evarist Bartolo, will be charged in court on Monday over allegations of fraud and corruption in public procurement.
Caruana – whose brother Joseph was the education ministry’s permanent secretary as recently as June – will be charged with having demanded payments from suppliers of the FTS, where he was procurement officer, as bribes to facilitate outstanding payments.
He will also be charged with extortion, and for trading in influence and use of falsification.
The charges come in the wake of national outrage against the Maltese police force in the wake of the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, where protesters have demanded the resignation of the Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Cutajar.
Read the full article on MaltaToday's Digital Edition
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
