Ex-Enemalta Chairman cleared of misuse of public funds in expenses case

Alexander Tranter was accused of having spent large sums of money on travel, hospitality and accommodation using a company credit card between 2005 and 2010

Alexander Tranter
Alexander Tranter

Former Enemalta chairman Alexander Tranter has been declared innocent of misuse of public funds, misappropriation and fraud over his use of company credit cards.

Tranter, 56, had been charged with misusing and misappropriating public funds through extravagant misuse of his entertainment and travel allowances.

The former Enemalta chairman is accused of having spent large sums of money on travel, hospitality and accommodation using a company credit card during his tenure between 2005 and 2010.

But magistrate Audrey Demicoli, after carrying out a thorough examination of the evidence, said that it “in no way could be taken as having proven the charges made to the grade required by law.”

“In the opinion of this Court, these facts do not fit the requirements for the crimes of misappropriation or misuse of public funds because nowhere does it emerge that he held on to or used the funds for himself,” said the magistrate.

“Besides this, as Chairman of Enemalta, he had discretion over the spending of much larger amounts and therefore the manner in which he chose to exercise his discretion in paying for the accommodation of his personal assistant for work which she did for Enemalta cannot be classified as misuse of public funds.”

It was illogical to argue that the company credit cards were not meant for use on business trips abroad, said the court, as if this were the case there would be no valid reason for the issuing of the cards.

Superintendent Ian Abdilla prosecuted.

Lawyer Joe Giglio was counsel to Alex Tranter.