‘Busuttil’s attack an attempt to intimidate whistleblower’ – Bonnici

'Simon Busuttil intimidating the Gozitan whistleblower' - Owen Bonnici

A harshly-worded statement issued together with a judicial protest against Gozitan whistleblower Joe Cauchi by the Opposition leader was “an attempt to intimidate the whistleblower and an attack against the country’s institutions”, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said.

Addressing a press conference called in reaction to a judicial protest filed by Simon Busuttil, Bonnici said a protection status under the Whistleblower Act was not granted by the politician but by the Attorney General after consulting with a judge of the Supreme Court and the Police Commissioner.

“Unlike what Busuttil tried to imply in my regard, it is not the politician who gives protection. This is not the same as when the Nationalist administration had recommended a presidential pardon for George Farrugia in the oil scandal,” Bonnici said.

“It is also evident that the PN leader is trying to intimidate a witness and he didn't have the decency to wait until the witness has finished his testimony before engaging in the attack.”

The compilation of evidence against Anthony Debono, the husband of former Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, in the works-for-votes case is still ongoing.

Yesterday, Busuttil claimed that Cauchi’s protection “hinges on his slander against the PN and myself as party leader. The more he lies about us the more likely he is to get paid for illegal works he admits to have performed. In this he is being aided and abetted by a Justice Minister who is shamefully using the law as a political weapon against his political opponents”.

Busuttil also described Cacui as “a self-confessed crook who wants his pound of flesh because he realised he would not get paid for his shady dealings”.

Arguing that Busuttil had once again changed his statements on the case, Bonnici said that by Busuttil’s own admission, the case was no longer one of mud-slinging as the PN had claimed.

“So now this is no longer a case of mud slinging? So now there were shady dealings?” the minister said, adding that surely Cauchi didn’t act on his own.

Bonnici questioned whether the PN leader’s assertions were “credible”. In the judicial protest, Busuttil denied that Cauchi had ever talked to him over private works or fake invoices. The minister pointed towards an email which Cauchi had sent to Gozitan MP Chris Said, talking about the works-for-votes and referring to the meeting held with the PN leader.

“Who would believe that a person awaiting payment by the government would instead seek the assistance of a political party? Does he really want us to believe that?” Bonnici said, adding that Busuttil had been repeatedly asked to come clean over the conversation held between the two.

The Justice Minister called on Simon Busuttil to say whether anyone else was present during the meeting between Busuttil and Cauchi.

“Were any records of this meeting held? The reality is that the PN is a state of panic and it suddenly no longer supports the Whistleblower Act. Simon Busuttil has a lot to answer for and he can't keep hiding behind the judicial protest.”

A whistleblower caught lying would be exposed to civil and criminal steps and risks losing the protection status.

Earlier in the day, the PN also questioned the impartiality of an independent inquiry being led by retired judge Philip Sciberras. Defending the retired judge’s work, Bonnici said that Sciberras’s “sterling work” as a judge spoke for itself and “everything revolves around whether we trust his judgement”.