News • 3 November 2002

Ministers deny en masse ‘we are not freemasons’

By Matthew Vella

SAN GWANN - The Ministers of the Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretaries have all denied categorically that they were ever freemasons or members of a masonic lodge.

The allegations of ministers being involved in freemasonry were sparked off in a PBS programme, Bondi+, after a member of the production team, Mr Joe Zahra, said ministers and members of parliament from both sides of the House of Parliament were and still belonged to masonic lodges.

Mr Zahra, a former freemason and police sergeant with close associations to former Labour Minister Lorry Sant, did not mention any names of MPs who were freemasons.

MaltaToday decided to follow up the allegations by sending a fax to each Minister and Parliamentary Secretary with the following query:

"…In a current affairs programme, Bondi+, broadcast last Tuesday 29 October on PBS, a member of the team, a certain Mr Joe Zahra, said certain Ministers and other Members of Parliament from both Parties, were freemasons and were still active in Masonic lodges in Malta, such as the St John and St Paul Lodge in Marsamxett Street, Valletta.

"In the light of these serious accusations, we are requesting whether you deny these accusations."

One after another, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries responded to MaltaToday’s query with this same statement: "…In reply to your request, I deny categorically the allegations that have been made."

All members of the Cabinet and Parliamentary Secretaries came back with the same refrain.

The categorical denial by the Cabinet now effectively kicks the ball back to Joe Zahra. Speaking to MaltaToday, Mr Zahra confirmed there were MPs who were still freemasons but refused to divulge any names on ‘ethical grounds’!

Joe Zahra, a private investigator and recent addition to the Bondi+ team, was once a security guard with the notorious ex-Labour Minister for Works Lorry Sant. He also acted as chauffeur to Carmen, Lorry Sant’s wife. She later denied any such association.

Up until mid-1991, Joe Zahra was a police sergeant. The Alternattiva newspaper of 27 July, 1991, quotes Joe Zahra as claiming that Lorry Sant was a personal friend of his.

Mr Zahra’s career in private investigation started off in August 1991, when he opened the Professional Private Investigation Agency Limited, situated in Regency House, Valletta. The private investigation company also operated a sophisticated forensic laboratory, and provided bodyguards and debt-collectors.

In 1993, Mr Zahra was one of the witnesses in the case against former Police Commissioner Lawrence Pullicino, who was accused of murdering Nardu Debono on 29 July, 1980 . He was called to the stand after Pullicino mentioned in his testimony an alleged encounter between Joe Zahra and Superintendent Charles Cassar.

In April 1995, Mr Zahra was implicated in the ‘Sapri Case’ where he was investigated by an Italian court in connection with the forging of documents of banking transactions and deviating investigations. Mr Zahra had allegedly sent the forged documents, carrying the stamp of ‘Mid-Med Overseas Limited’, to the Italian weekly magazine Panorama, against payment. Part of the Tangentopoli saga, the case involved Massimo Bassi, director of ‘Sapri Finanziaria’, an offshore company registered in Malta.