Omtzigt letter to new AG: bringing everyone in Daphne murder to justice is ‘top expectation’

Conviction and punishment of everyone involved in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia is the international community’s top expectation, Malta’s new Attorney General has been told.

Writing to congratulate Victoria Buttigieg on her new appointment, Council of Europe rapporteur Pieter Omtzigt reminded the AG that the assassination of a journalist cannot be left unpunished.

“This murder led directly to my report and the [COE parliamentary] Assembly’s resolution, and I will not stop following developments until the case is fully and finally closed. I trust that the Office of the Attorney General will continue to give the highest priority to this case,” Omtzigt said.

Quoting from court testimony by a police inspector on the case that the murder was the result of something Caruana Galizia was going to write about, Omtzigt urged the AG to also act against high-level corruption.

Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg

He noted that allegations of corruption by high-ranking public officials remain unresolved, despite the numerous ongoing magisterial inquiries. While noting Malta’s progress in implementing structural reforms, Omtzigt said more had to be done to prosecute people on corruption.

“When it comes to impunity for serious criminality, including the murder of Ms Caruana Galizia and the numerous allegations of high-level corruption, however, the situation remains deeply unsatisfactory. You are now directly responsible for ensuring that it improves,” he said.

He urged the AG to use her powers at law to ensure that magisterial inquiries are expedited and facilitated.

Highlighting the lack of action on the 2018 Egrant inquiry report, Omtzigt said Buttigieg should take immediate action on that conclusions of that report and all other inquiries involving corruption that will come her way when they are concluded.

“I would like to finish by assuring you of my personal support, and by reminding you of the availability of technical assistance from the Council of Europe, in achieving these vitally important missions: to enhance and reaffirm the independence, effectiveness and credibility of the Office of Attorney General; to bring everyone involved in the murder of Ms Caruana Galizia to justice; and to end impunity for high-level corruption in Malta,” he concluded his letter.

Just today, Buttigieg confirmed that her office had received the inquiry report into allegations of bribery linked to the sale of citizenship scheme. The inquiry probed claims that Keith Schembri had received €100,000 from Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna.

The inquiry was triggered by former opposition leader Simon Busuttil in April 2017.

However, Buttigieg has so far refused to publish any part of the inquiry.

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