'Charges against Tabone, Sammut too serious to merit bail' - Attorney General

Update 3 | Judge David Sciculuna to hear Attorney General's submissions to revoke bail granted to Tancred Tabone and Frank Sammut on Monday.

20 February 2013, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

2 min read

The Office of the Attorney General in Valletta

Updated at 16:32

Judge David Scicluna, presiding over the Criminal Courts will next Monday listen to submissions by Attorney General Peter Grech who is calling for the revocation of bail granted to Tancred Tabone and Frank Sammut, who face charges of aggravated corruption and money laundering.

Judge Scicluna will be presiding over the sitting which will decide on whether Tabone and Sammut will continue to benefit from bail, have the conditions tightened, or be remanded in custody. Both men will have to attend the sitting, accompanied by their lawyers.

In his application, the Attorney General is insisting that the accused be remanded in custody.

The sitting before Mr. Justice Scicluna will be held after the Attorney General filed two separate applications this afternoon, calling on the Criminal Court to revoke bail granted yesterday by a magistrate to former Enemalta Chairman Tancred Tabone and former MOBC chief executive Frank Sammut, who were yesterday charged with aggravated corruption and money laundering.

Tancred Tabone, 60, of Sliema and Frank Sammut, 62, of Marsaxlokk pleaded not guilty to the long list of charges brought against them, and were granted bail against a deposit of €3,000 and a personal guarantee of €15,000 each.

The Attorney General is contesting bail on the basis of the gravity of the charges being brought against Tabone and Sammut.

The applications were filed just before the close of the court's registry this afternoon and it is expected that the duty judge will summon the prosecution and defence counsels to discuss the matter.

Tabone and Sammut were arraigned yesterday and charged separately on multiple counts of corruption and money laundering, in a proseciution led by Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar, Superintendent Paul Vassallo, and Inspector Angelo Gafà.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Before granting bail yesterday, Magistrate Gabriella Vella heard submissions from Inspector Angelo Gafa who opposed bail on the basis of the seriousness of the charges being brought against the accused.

Meanwhile the Court has appointed Magistrate Claire Safrace Zammit to preside over the compilation of evidence against Tancred Tabone, while Magistrate Anthony Vella will preside over Frank Sammut's case.

Both Tabone and Sammut have been served with an order for seisure of all their assets.

Police sources have also told MaltaToday that a number of other persons are expected to be arraigned in the coming days in connection with the case.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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The Court has granted bail to persons who have committed murder - and nothing to do with self-defence. And years have passed with the same accused free to continue living their lives, without even being under house arrest. Thus the severity of the accusation does not seem to be any weight. It is the risk of messing around with evidence or fleeing that is the determining factor for bail.

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OF COURSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS RIGHT. GRANTING BAIL ON SUCH A PALTRY SUM IS TO SAY THE LEAST SCANDALOUS IN ITSELF. CASES OF CORRUPTION, ESPECIALLY TO THIS EXTENT, ARE RARELY DISCOVERED AND WOULD HAVE REMAINED HIDDEN HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR MALTATODAY. SO WHEN SUCH CASES ARE DISCOVERED, THE COURTS SHOULD AT LEAST SET AN EXAMPLE THAT SUCH ABUSES MUST BE LOOKED AT VERY SERIOUSLY AND NOT GIVEN BAIL ON € 3000. AFTER ALL JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES ARE PAID BY THE PEOPLE OF MALTA TO DO JUSTICE, BUT ESPECIALLY TO LAW ABIDING CITIZENS WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF CRIMINAL CORRUPTION.

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Maltese Law Courts are a joke 3,000euros bail is a joke!!!!!!!