Former PL secretary general denies instructing staff to alter documents in EU funds case

Former Labour Party Secretary General Jimmy Magro denied instructing a project cordinator to alter statutory meeting documents to support EU funding claims.

A court on Monday heard how attendance sheets from mayors’ and councillors’ meetings were allegedly repurposed under project letterheads to secure refunds from Italian partners.

Lawyers for the accused argued in court that some of the charges he is facing over alleged EU funds irregularities may be time-barred, though the court has yet to decide on the matter.

Magro, a former secretary general of the Labour Party and later of the Association of Local Councils, is being prosecuted over alleged manipulation of documents in two EU-funded projects: Working Together for Development and Sunny Eagle Live Plus.

The allegations stem from an Internal Audit and Investigations Department (IAID) report completed in 2016, which flagged doctored invoices and attendance sheets submitted to Italian partners to claim EU refunds.

In Monday’s hearing, defence lawyer Franco Debono reiterated that most of the irregularities identified by the IAID predated May 2015, and argued that some charges should therefore fall outside the statute of limitations. The court has not yet ruled on this argument.

Superintendent Rennie Stivala, prosecuting, told the court that December 2015 was used as the latest verifiable date for the alleged offences, as some earlier records lacked precise dates.

The hearing also delved deeper into how the alleged fraud was carried out. According to evidence presented by the prosecution, statutory meetings of mayors and councillors, such as plenary sessions and statutory assemblies, were held under the association’s normal operations.

Attendance sheets from these meetings were then copied, with letterheads replaced by those of the EU-funded projects, and submitted to claim refunds from the Italian partners.

Maureen Azzopardi, the project’s coordinator, who was interrogated in 2018, told investigators that Magro had instructed her to make the changes. Magro has denied giving such instructions.

Leanne Cassar, who became secretary of the association in 2018, testified that she found Magro’s contracts and related documents in his personnel file but said there was no indication he pocketed the funds. She said the money went into the association’s bank accounts.

Much of the prosecution’s evidence so far has centred on Azzopardi’s role in altering documents, supported by email exchanges with association staff in which she requested old invoices be reused for project claims.

The case was adjourned to continue on 31 July, with further hearings set for 4 August and 7 August.

Magistrate Giannella Camilleri Busuttil presided over the court.

Superintendent Rennie Stivala prosecuted.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono, Roberto Spiteri and Michael Sciriha are assisting Magro.