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Fresh inquiry on murdered Lino Cauchi concluded

Accountant’s former client interrogated

Lino Cauchi, an accountant, was murdered 20 years ago. His body was frozen, chopped up and then dumped in a Buskett well. Now research undertaken by MaltaToday reveals the gross incompetence of police investigations in 1982 and the apathy of those today in following up the investigations.

But in a strange twist of fate, the new Police Commissioner has called for renewed attention to be given to a recently concluded magisterial inquiry by Magistrate Silvio Meli into the murder of Lino Cauchi.

Mr Cauchi’s partner, Manfre, died in mysterious circumstances some time before the accountant’s disappearance. He was shaken and beaten on his hospital bed at St Luke’s hospital by assailants.

Recent testimony in the Silvio Meli inquiry has led to the police interrogating Piju Camilleri, the former righthand man of the late Lorry Sant, whose name constantly surfaces in corruption inquiries.

Mr Cauchi was Piju Camilleri’s accountant. The flamboyant Mr Camilleri made his money from his connection with Lorry Sant and his stint as a works manager at the works dept in the late seventies and eighties. He was noted for driving a Ferrari and owning a plethora of properties.

The interest in Piju Camilleri stems from the fact that the magistrate noted important details in which Mr Camilleri was reported as scolding and shouting at Mr Cauchi some weeks before his disappearance in front of other individuals.

The argument between Piju Camilleri and Mr Cauchi appears to have erupted after Lino Cauchi presented accounts which revealed monies received by Mr Camilleri from the sale of plots.

A copy of these accounts was discovered and viewed only recently by the authorities.

Talking to this newspaper the Attorney General confirmed that the findings of the inquiry have been communicated to Commissioner of Police John Rizzo.

MaltaToday can also confirm that Piju Camilleri was interrogated by the police. Mr Camilleri, together with Joe Camilleri a former personal assistant to Dom Mintoff, Lorry Sant and others, was implicated by the Commission Against Corruption to answer allegations of corruption related to the issuing of building permits. But due to the fact that the prescription date of the crimes had expired, the courts were compelled to stop all procedures.