Former director reached out of court settlement with MATS, tribunal told

Former financial director at Malta Air Traffic Services Limited (MATS) Ian Falzon, who is facing charges of fraud and misappropriation of over €150,000 in company funds has reached a settlement with the company, which had withdrawn from the criminal proceedings.

This emerged in a sitting in an case filed by before the Industrial Tribunal by Falzon against Transport Malta, where the former is claiming unfair dismissal.

In 2014, Falzon had been charged, together with the company's CEO Lawrence Fenech after an investigation by the Internal Audit and Investigation Department revealed the use of a government-issued Visa card for personal items with the receipts then used to claim cash-back.

After resigning from MATS, Falzon had been employed with Transport Malta as Director General of its aviation section, but had been sacked after his employers became aware of the fraud charges.

Lawyer Joe Giglio, who appeared for Falzon in the criminal proceedings against him, informed the Industrial Tribunal that MATS was no longer involved in that case as the “parte civile,” or injured party, as it had concluded a private agreement with Falzon.

This announcement led Transport Malta's legal counsel, lawyer Aaron Mifsud Bonnici to ask the Tribunal's Chairperson Edmond Tabone to summon a MATS representative to confirm this arrangement, which he said was a tacit admission of guilt. The request was contested by lawyer Matthew Brincat, appearing for Falzon in the Tribunal proceedings, who insisted that no further evidence could be exhibited at this stage of proceedings. The agreement was also not relevant to the case about the dismissal, submitted Brincat.

The Tribunal will decree the request on May 11th.