Updated | Former Police Commissioner ‘denies’ Mizzi allegations

Adds statement by Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar at 20:07

Former Police Commissioner George Grech has denied having ever been in contact with Richard Cachia Caruana over an alleged yacht cocaine party which took place in 1998 and which Mizzi says was organised by individuals "very close to Cachia Caruana".

In a statement, Grech said that during his role as Police Commissioner he had always correctly passed on any information he used to receive for necessary investigation.

"I also did this in the case mentioned by Mizzi," Grech said. "It is not true what Mazzi is alleging and there were no intentional mistakes on my behalf to obstruct police investigation into the mentioned case."

Grech also insisted that "under no circumstances and in no way did I ever communicate with Richard Cachia Caruana".

Grech, who is currently abroad, said he will be contacting his lawyer and reserves his right to take legal action.

Meanwhile, after filing a police report to investigate the claims made by Mizzi, Richard Cachia Caruna initiated legal proceedings against Mizzi and editor of One TV Kurt Farrugia.

"The allegations made are libelous aimed at tarnishing my reputation," he said.

Backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who's building his case to why Cachia Caruana should be expelled from the PN, said that "Joe Mizzi has implicated Mr. Cachia Caruana in a clear case of criminal interference with the course of justice in relation to a cocaine party organised by individuals who were close to Mr. Cachia Caruana."

Tomorrow evening the executive of the PN will hear the witnesses summoned by Pullicino Orlando, while the PN has told Cachia Caruana  he is not required to present the list of witnesses he intends to present in his defence.

Later this evening, the Government published a report by Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar, head of the vice-squad about how the police had received information about the boat party and investigations resulted negative.

Cassar quoted the report filed in the occurrence books dated 17 July 1998 entitled 'Phone call on a party held on vessel Karwela' which says that the police "went at around 5:45pm and 8:30pm but there was no indication that a party was being held."

Cassar said "I do remember that the ex-Commissioner George Grech called me and informed that a party was going to be held on board a vessel that same evening which was berthed at the Strand Sliema."

Cassar explained that he was informed that some people on board the yacht were going to have cocaine on them "to be used later when the vessel departs and the party on board starts."

He added that no persons were mentioned by name or profession.

"When the name of the vessel was passed on to me I wrote it down and informed either the duty officer drug squad of the day or the officer in charge of the patrol unit at the Drugs Squad," Cassar said, simply adding that "this gave a negative outcome".

He adds that a few days later he was summoned to the office of Mizzi, then Minister without Portfolio, who remarked that "it was impossible for us not to have found drugs".

Cassar reportedly insisted with Mizzi that he had full faith in his personnel and he was "absolutely certain" that they carried out their duties correctly. However, while praising them for their job, Mizzi insisted that the information which Cassar passed on to his personnel, was different to what Mizzi had given to the police.

But five years later, Cassar claims that following his resignation of Commissioner Grech in 2001, the latter called him to ask whether the Assistant Commissioner had followed up on the information they had on the cocaine party.

"Grech was asking because Mizzi mentioned it in parliament or on the media," Cassar said. He added that he confirmed with Grech that he sent the personnel on the date, times and on the vessel that the former commissioner had passed on to him and the "results were negative."