Austin Gatt’s aide met Ray Farrugia after oil scandal broke, but ‘remembers nothing’

Former aide Bernard Pace insists he cannot remember ‘details’ such as whether he had asked the Farrugia family to issue statement denying any connection with Austin Gatt after MaltaToday broke oil scandal

The testimony of former Austin Gatt aide Bernard Pace, revealed only a lack of memory and knowledge from the former member of secretariat in the investments ministry.

MPs from the Public Accounts Committee discussing the NAO’s report into Enemalta’s fuel procurement only had answers such as “I don’t remember” and “I don’t know” when grilling Pace.

Pace told the PAC that he had long known Ray Farrugia – a brother of pardoned oil trader George Farrugia, the latter implicated in the bribery network in the sale of oil to Enemalta – because of his “active participation” in Hamrun social life.

But Pace said he was unable to remember what he and Ray Farrugia discussed in a meeting they had after MaltaToday broke the story of bribes paid at Enemalta for the supply of oil back in January 2013; or whether he contacted Ray Farrugia after reading the newspaper report, or whether Gatt – with whom he had worked with for almost 10 years – had texted him on the eve the story came out: ostensibly because the former minister was aware of MaltaToday’s impending news story, as claimed in the PAC by another former aid, Emanuel Mallia.

“These are details and you are asking me about something that happened three years ago,” Pace reiterated when repeatedly pressed by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici.

He couldn’t even remember whether he had asked Ray Farrugia and his nephew Chris Farrugia, to issue a press statement clearing the family company’s name and stating that they had had no business whatsoever with the former PN minister.

Pace remembered that in his meeting with Ray Farrugia, he had called Claudio Grech (today Nationalist MP) to join them, but couldn’t remember what was discussed or why Grech had been there.

The meeting was confirmed to have happened by Chris Farrugia, who told MaltaToday that Pace had told him that Grech was waiting in the car, and asked whether it would be fine for Grech to join them. “When Grech arrived he demanded the same thing Pace had asked for, and that we should go to the Commissioner of Police. I told him we had nothing to clarify. It wasn’t us who had divulged the information and we had nothing to do with all the kickbacks.  I also told him that [former MOBC director] Frank Sammut, who admitted to taking bribes, was not our employee,” Chris Farrugia said.

Hesitating, Pace said he could not remember where Grech was when he called him. “Grech featured in the conversation [with Ray Farrugia] and I called Claudio and he came,” Pace said, adding he could not remember what was discussed with Grech.

At one point, Pace told the PACE that he had presented Grech as a PN candidate during this meeting.

A teacher by profession, Pace was seconded to Gatt’s ministry in 2004 where he focused on work related to the Hamrun constituency. Between 2008 and 2013, he assisted Gatt’s head of secretariat Manuel Delia. Later, near the end of the legislature, he would directly assist Gatt.

Describing himself as a “very active citizen” from Hamrun, Pace had been supporting Gatt’s campaign as a volunteer since 2000. He knew the Farrugia brothers of the John’s Group due to the support they provided to the locality, as well as its more famous candidates.

“I knew George Farrugia like I knew his brothers. But I was more familiar with Ray Farrugia,” Pace said.

Pace insisted that whenever he broached the oil scandal story with Ray Farrugia, he did so as an acquaintance “and not because I worked with Austin Gatt”.

To the surprise of those present, when asked whether he would let Gatt know when he met Ray Farrugia, Pace declared that there “was no relevance to the subject” that would interest Austin Gatt.

“Yes, I was surprised when I read the story in MaltaToday but I don’t remember whether I called Ray or not. I’m sure that we spoke,” he said, adding that he could not remember with whom he had spoken to on that day.

Bonnici bluntly told Pace that he was not believing him and repeatedly reminded him that he was under oath.

“Believe me, I can’t remember. It is humanly impossible to remember such details,” Pace said.

Pace also insisted he did not communicate with former Malta Security Service head Godfrey Scicluna, who was given a cache of incriminating emails by a security officer detailed with Lawrence Gonzi, and which had been passed onwards to Austin Gatt’s ministry before ending up at the Tax Compliance Unit for a tax audit.

Despite forming part of Gatt’s campaign team, Pace was not in a position to say who had been responsible of the fundraising.