Suspended CEO of Manoel Theatre questioned by police over sexual harassment allegations

The suspended chief executive of the Manoel Theatre, Massimo Zammit, was earlier this week questioned by police in connection with sexual harassment allegations by a former employee.

MaltaToday understands that Zammit has not been charged with any crime, and that he remains suspended on half pay from his role as CEO over an array of allegations of misconduct ranging from financial mismanagement to workplace harassment and unprofessional behaviour.

A female employee at the theatre alleged that Zammit had made unsolicited advances to-wards her and at least one more employee had complained of Zammit exhibiting unprofessional conduct in the workplace which made co-workers feel uncomfortable.

The decision to suspend Zammit in November was taken by the Manoel Theatre’s management board based on a report by an external board specifically tasked with investigating the allegations about him.

Zammit was also facing allegations of misusing the theatre’s hospitality funds as well as other claims of financial mismanagement.

A disciplinary board was set up to consider Zammit’s case, who in 2022 became the third major suspension within the cultural sector in a matter of weeks.

First it was an official at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra who was suspended after he was charged with and found guilty of sexual harassment. Then MPO CEO Sigmund Mifsud was suspended after prosecutors pressed charges against him for attempted tampering of evidence in relation to that sexual harassment scandal.

Mifsud allegedly instructed employees to keep quiet about the scandal and tried to talk the victim into changing her version of events before the matter reached the police. He denies the claims.

A court heard that the victim had reported the harassment internally but had been ignored. She eventually quit her job.