Former Gozo minister’s husband to be given police bail and possibly arraigned

Anthony Debono, the husband of Nationalist MP and former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono, will be given police bail after intense police interrogation. Government souces did not confirm that Debono will be arraigned in court, but the possibility remains.

Debono was interrogated by police on Tuesday, after an exclusive MaltaToday report revealed how Gozo constituents were offered free construction, paid by the Gozo ministry. Contrary to initial reports, Nationalist MP Giovanna Debono was not subjected to the police's interrogation, but merely accompanied her husband to his summoning at the police headquarters.

To date, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has repeatedly stood by Debono after the latter denied allegations of impropriety, and claimed that the claims were being used for partisan politics and for “Joseph Muscat’s ulterior motives”.

However, during Monday’s edition of Reporter, he said that he will act “depending on the results of a polie investigation and on whether people end up charged in court in relation to the case”.

Following MaltaToday’s report, police questioned several government officials while police sealed the Public Works Department in Victoria to ensure that no documents or materials are moved out.

Three Gozitan contractors have since come forward to substantiate claims that they were asked to carry out construction work for private residences or businesses by the Ministry of Gozo.

Another Gozitan contractor turned whistleblower also revealed that he had emailed PN Secretary General Chris Said of the ‘work for votes’ for which he has not been paid. The email was one of the many pleas he has been making for payment for €50,000 in works commissioned by the Gozo ministry for private constituents

Moreover, Gozo minister Anton Refalo admitted to have been aware of a whistelblower’s claims of being commissioned to carry out free construction works for Gozo constituents. Refalo said that the case was then passed onto to the police in order to be ascertained.