Chief investigator says IBOL ‘was specifically set-up’ to drain MOBC

Francis Portelli and Anthony Cassar

It was clear from the outset that IBOL was founded to 'drain' all business away from Enemalta's bunkering arm Mediterranean Oil Bunkering Corporation - Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar. It was not a just a simple remark, but it represented an intrinsic part of the evidence uncovered by the Police during a whole month of investigations into the operations of Island Bunker Oils Limited (IBOL).

The investigations revealed that all business which was being handled by Enemalta's bunkering subsidiary, MOBC, was being secretly deviated towards IBOL, through a scheme devised by the then MOBC chairman Tancred Tabone, and the chief executive Frank Sammut.

Both Tabone and Sammut held an elaborate silent partnership within IBOL since its founding in 2002, and hid their blatant conflict of interest through a series of other companies which were set up by the 'apparent' owners, Francis Portelli, 60 of Ta' Xbiex and Anthony Cassar, 60 of Tarxien.

All are now facing criminal charges for corruption, trading in influence and money laundering.

Testifying before a Magistrate this morning, Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar said that under Tabone and Sammut's watch at Enemalta and MOBC, the company had bought two bunkering vessels, the MV Eldaren, which was renamed Golden Bay, and Oarsman.

MOBC had subsequently leased both vessels from IBOL.

While Portelli and Cassar's defence counsel Stephen Tonna Lowell said the ships were not owned by IBOL, the Assistant Commissioner said that the their companies companies were directly linked to IBOL.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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This case was the last straw. It has convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that the rebel MP's within the PN ranks were right after all. The cake has been conveniently divided between a privileged few who have managed to get away with far too much for far too long. An example and a serious one needs to be made of ALL the perpetrators in this scandal not just the smaller fish , let the judiciary be aware that the people want justice. The small man in the street has been driven to near energy poverty in this Country with some of the highest energy rates in the EU and then we have these so called businessmen creaming off what will turn out to be millions of euro. I hope for the sake of Malta and the Maltese that someone in the Police force will finally put a number on what they have creamed off and after they've been sent down for their crimes their assets seized and auctioned off and the proceeds directed to reducing some of Enemaltas' huge debt. I sincerely hope that the message "crime does not pay" is sent out loud and clear by the Courts on this occasion. Whoever is chosen to Govern us next Saturday , we want justice.

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This case was the last straw. It has convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that the rebel MP's within the PN ranks were right after all. The cake has been conveniently divided between a privileged few who have managed to get away with far too much for far too long. An example and a serious one needs to be made of ALL the perpetrators in this scandal not just the smaller fish , let the judiciary be aware that the people want justice. The small man in the street has been driven to near energy poverty in this Country with some of the highest energy rates in the EU and then we have these so called businessmen creaming off what will turn out to be millions of euro. I hope for the sake of Malta and the Maltese that someone in the Police force will finally put a number on what they have creamed off and after they've been sent down for their crimes their assets seized and auctioned off and the proceeds directed to reducing some of Enemaltas' huge debt. I sincerely hope that the message "crime does not pay" is sent out loud and clear by the Courts on this occasion. Whoever is chosen to Govern us next Saturday , we want justice.

Chief investigator says IBOL ‘was specifically set-up’ to drain MOBC

Clear from the outset that IBOL was founded to ‘drain’ all business away from Enemalta’s MOBC – Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar.