Jason Azzopardi implies Topo plea bargain was intended to cover up for Labour politicians

Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi has implied that the plea bargain deal with Daren Debono on the HSBC heist was intended to cover up for Labour politicians.

Azzopardi was writing on his Facebook page just after Debono refused to testify in the compilation of evidence against Vince Muscat, il-Koħħu, on Thursday.

Debono reached a plea bargain with the Attorney General last month in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence. Debono, known as it-Topo, pleaded guilty over his involvement in the botched HSBC heist of 2010, which ended in a firefight with police officers.

The AG dropped the charge of attempted homicide, which carried a 30-year prison sentence but Debono was expected to testify against his co-accused.

The decision to drop the charge of attempted homicide had attracted criticism by the Nationalist Party and rule of law NGO Repubblika.

However, in today’s sitting, Debono would only mention by name Muscat and refused to name others involved in the heist. The magistrate ordered the police to rearrest Debono and arraign him within 48 hours.

“You can see now why the Attorney General and Robert Abela forgave it-Topo 30 years of jail time when they dropped the charge of attempted murder when 60 shots had been fired at the police [during the heist],” Azzopardi wrote. “You can see now! So that he does not mention Labour politicians.”

Azzopardi was referring to former economy minister Chris Cardona and sitting minister Carmelo Abela.

Both Labour politicians were mentioned by Muscat in statements to the police and two men – Alfred Degiorgio and George Degiorgio - currently facing charges for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and who appear to have also been involved in the HSBC heist.

Cardona and Abela have denied the claims.

The latest twist in the HSBC heist saga has prompted Repubblika to call for AG Victoria Buttigieg’s resignation and the NGO will be holding a protest outside her office in Valletta tomorrow.

Another man involved in the heist, Fabio Psaila, is still waiting for his jury to be heard.

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