'No illicit gain': Court asked to reduce Nexia employee freezing order to €5,000

A court will decide whether or not to amend the freezing order imposed over all of the assets belonging to Nexia BT Financial controller Katrin Bondin Carter, who is undergoing criminal proceedings after allegedly laundering money for disgraced former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, after being requested to reduce it cover just €5,000, having been told by the prosecuting officer confirm that she did not appear to have made any money illicitly.

The compilation of evidence against Karl Cini and Brian Tonna, Manuel Castagna and Katrin Bondin Carter continued today.

In a sitting held to hear the testimony of Inspector Ian Camilleri about whether any of the laundered money had been received by Bondin Carter, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech observed that the law did not permit the lifting of a freezing order before proceedings are complete; however, it did allow such orders to be varied.

Bondin Carter’s lawyer Franco Debono asked the inspector whether there had been any financial gain enjoyed by his client in this case. “As I had testified earlier in this case when I had investigated her, it did not appear to be money received by her,” replied the Inspector, going on to confirm that the freezing order was not required.

“So there is no illicit gain established from your investigation?” Debono asked the witness. “No,” replied the inspector.

Debono requested the court vary the freezing order on Bondin Carter, limiting it to the “nominal” amount of €5,000, as the order could not be lifted in its entirety until the case is decided, according to law. 

The case will continue later this month.

Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell is appearing for Tonna and Cini, while lawyers Michael Sciriha and Matthew Xuereb are appearing for Castagna. Lawyer Franco Debono is appearing for Katrin Bondin Carter.

Lawyer Giannella de Marco is counsel to KBT Holdings Ltd.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech is presiding.