PM, Justice Minister to testify in case over Egrant report publication

Judge Robert Mangion has upheld Adrian Delia’s request that the Prime Minister and Justice Minister testify in the case over the publication of the Egrant inquiry.

The PN leader filed the constitutional case in a bid to obtain a full copy of the Egrant inquiry report.

The conclusions from Magistrate Aaron Bugeja's inquiry on the ownership of the secret Panamanian company Egrant were published in July.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was handed the full report and has repeatedly said that he wants the entire inquiry to be published despite the fact that the Attorney General is opposed to such a move.

The inquiry exonerated the PM and his wife Michelle Muscat from the claims that they owned the Panamanian company, but the Opposition has insisted that it should be given a full copy of the 1,500-page report.

As constitutional proceedings resumed on Tuesday morning the court was informed that there was to be no cross-examination of Attorney General Peter Grech, who had been summoned as a witness by Delia’s lawyers.

The AG had testified during the previous sitting on 25 September, explaining how he had first given the Prime Minister a photocopied version of the full Egrant inquiry report and then mailed an electronic copy to Justice Minister Owen Bonnici upon the latter’s request as legal counsel to the PM.

When the case continued today, lawyer Victoria Buttigieg, from the AG’s office informed the court that there would be no cross-examination of the witness.

In view of this, lawyer Vincent Galea, who is assisting Delia, informed the court that he was requesting that the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister be summoned to testify at the next sitting.

The case was adjourned to next month when the Prime Minister and Justice Minister are to appear personally to testify under oath.