17 Black: Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi, Yorgen Fenech and Nexia partners plead not guilty
Charges in 17 Black probe come one month after the conclusion of criminal inquiry which recommended criminal action • Accused were charged by summons

Former chief-of-staff Keith Schembri, former Minister Konrad Mizzi and businessman Yorgen Fenech, amongst others, were charged with various criminal offences linked to the controversial Electrogas power station project on Wednesday morning.
Charges were filed against seven individuals and four companies, as Brian Tonna, Karl Cini, Paul Apap Bologna and Mario Pullicino also appeared in Court.

All accused pled not guilty to all charges brought against them.
This comes following the conclusion of a criminal inquiry into allegations concerning illicit payments linked to the 17 Black firm, owned by Yorgen Fenech. The inquiry had recommended the institution of criminal action against Schembri, Mizzi and others.
After the examination of the accused took place, the Court, presided over by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, heard submissions made by defence lawyers pertaining to concerns over the choice of experts used throughout the inquiry. Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell argued that experts Harbinson Forensics Limited and Miroslava Milenovic had repeated and recycled opinions they had expressed on his clients in other inquiries.
The nomination of the experts was confirmed at the end of the sitting.
During the sitting, Inspector Brian Camilleri from the FCID took to the stand. He recalled that the investigation began in March 2018 on the basis of suspected money laundering. A request was lodged by police for the opening of an inquiry later that year, with Camilleri being assigned to the investigation in 2020.
Camilleri made numerous references to various companies, registered in different countries, as well as transactions between said companies, which ran into the millions. The inspector also referred to frequent WhatsApp communication between Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and Yorgen Fenech. On one occasion, Fenech sent a photo of two men, one of these turning out to be the member of a prominent Dubai-based family. Under the photo was a message stating ‘this is the ‘King’ of Dubai’.
Under cross-examination, Camilleri confirmed that no transactions between 17 Black and any members of parliament resulted. He also stated that to his memory, there were no transactions including public officials. Asked if any transactions from Yorgen Fenech to Konrad Mizzi or companies linked to him were found, the inspector responded in the negative.
The Court, towards the end of the sitting, also approved freezing order requests, with these orders ranging from €18 million to around €200,000.
The next sitting will take place on Wednesday 19 February.
The prosecution is being led by Inspector Brian Camilleri and superintendent Jonathan Ransley with the assistance of AG lawyers Gary Cauchi and Nicole Sladden.
Lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran are appearing for Yorgen Fenech.
Lawyers Edward Gatt and Shaun Zammit are appearing for Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.
Lawyers Gianella De Marco and Kathleen Grima are appearing for Paul Apap Bologna.
Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell are appearing for Karl Cini, Brian Tonna and Mario Pullicino.
That’s it for today. We will be uploading a comprehensive write-up shortly. Thanks for following with us.
The sitting has come to a close. The next sitting will take place on Wednesday, 19 February at 10 am.
The Court has also upheld a request for freezing orders. A freezing order to the tune of €12 million was issued as against all the accused (including the companies) individuals except Yorgen Fenech, Paul Apap Bologna and Mario Pullicino. Whilst the amount indicated in the freezing order issued against Yorgen Fenech is of €18 million, the amounts of €390,000 and around €200,000 were frozen in relation to Apap Bologna and Pullicino respectively.
The sitting resumes with Magistrate Rachel Montebello reading a decree handed by the Court, confirming the nomination of experts and denying the request for their recusal.
The sitting is postponed, and will resume with a decree on the pleas for freezing orders made by the prosecution before concluding.
Brian Camilleri is cross-examined. Answering questions put forward by defence lawyer Gianella De Marco, he states that no transactions between 17 Black and the two Panama companies were found.
Responding to questions made by defence lawyer Charles Mercieca, Camilleri confirmed that no transaction between 17 Black and any members of parliament resulted. He also stated that to his memory, there were no transactions including public officials.
Asked if any transactions from Yorgen Fenech to Konrad Mizzi or companies linked to him were found, the inspector responded in the negative.
It resulted that SOCAR, a company registered in Azerbaijan, retained a 33% share in Electrogas. The inspector referred to a report by the Auditor General which demonstrated concern regarding the process as to how Electrogas was awarded the power station contract.
Reference was also made to frequent WhatsApp communication between Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and Yorgen Fenech. On one occasion, Fenech sent a photo of two men, one of these turning out to be the member of a prominent Dubai-based family. Under the photo was a message stating ‘this is the ‘King’ of Dubai’.
Investigations further revealed that the company MacBridge, registered in Hong Kong and not Dubai, was linked to a man with ties to the company Shanghai Electric Power, Cheng Chen.
It was found that there was a wide web of companies registered in various countries, which companies engaged in various transactions between themselves running into the millions. One example pertains to the November 2015 transfer of €3 million in November 2015, through the company Cifidex.
It was also determined that the company OEGP had sent more than €300,000 to 17 Black and that a few days later, €3 million were deposited in the account of the same company.
From May to July 2016, three different payments amounting to around €1 million from 17 Black to the Chen-linked company, whilst the company Wings Investment sent €620,000 to the company New Energy Supply Limited, pertaining to Fenech.
From investigations, it resulted that between 2013 and 2017, Konrad Mizzi had served as the minister for health and tourism, whilst Keith Schembri served as the prime minister’s chief-of-staff. Yorgen Fenech was directly involved in Electrogas as a director and shareholder. Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi were the UBOs of once-secret Panama companies Hearnville and Tillgate. Tonna and Cini described Schembri to investigators as a long-time friend. Tonna, Schembri and Cini all had regular contact with Fenech.
The sitting resumes, with Inspector Brian Camilleri from the FCID taking the stand. Camilleri says the investigation began in March 2018, on the basis of suspected money laundering stemming from corruption. The police retained intelligence regarding companies in Panama which had trusts in New Zealand. In September 2018, a request was lodged by the police for the opening of an inquiry. Camilleri informed the court that he was assigned to the investigation in 2020, acting as an investigator assisting the inquiring magistrate. He was also involved in preparing and following rogatory letters.
Meanwhile, some of the politicians that first requested the 17 Black inquiry have been reacting to today's proceedings. Former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, who was a backbencher when the inquiry was requested, described the Electrogas power station as a "monument to corruption". Nationalist MEP David Casa said this is why Robert Abela wants to undermine people's right to request magisterial inquiries, and former PN MP Jason Azzopardi reminded people that this was only possible because, six years ago, the three of them requested, as private citizens, a magisterial inquiry.
The sitting has been postponed but will continue soon. Another case will be heard by the magistrate in the meantime.
Defence lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell informs the court of a plea for the recusal of experts. Harbinson Forensics Limited and Miroslava Milenovic, experts also involved in the Vitals case, have already expressed their opinions on the conduct of his clients, which opinion, Tonna Lowell argues, is recycled and repeated in other inquiries.
The defence team is arguing against the choice of court experts used throughout the 17 Black magisterial inquiry. Lawyers Gianella De Marco and Kathleen Grima, appearing for Apap Bologna, are arguing that the Irish forensics firm Harbinson Forensics Limited is in liquidation. The company was appointed as an expert in the case. Lawyer Edward Gatt, appearing for Schembri and Mizzi, is informing the court of a pending constitutional case in which the nomination of the experts in the relevant magisterial inquiry is being challenged.
The accused are facing charges of money laundering, corruption, criminal organisation and trading in influence. They have all pled not guilty to the charges.
The Prosecution has informed the Court that three new charges will be added against Yorgen Fenech and Konrad Mizzi. Karl Cini will similarly face two fresh charges.
The sitting resumes as the decree handed by the court is read. The court does not agree with the submissions lodged by the applicant and thus denies the request.
The sitting is adjourned for five minutes.
The court has been informed of an application lodged by Yorgen Fenech requesting the recusal of the presiding magistrate. His lawyers are arguing that the facts in issue are identical to those in a separate case being heard by the magistrate involving Fenech and former superintendent Raymond Aquilina. The prosecution objects, claiming the plea has no basis.
The sitting has now begun with presiding Magistrate Rachel Montebello taking roll-call of the defendants.
Good morning! Welcome to the MaltaToday live blog. Today we're covering the charges against the key players that emerged from the 17 Black probe. Keith Schembri, who was Joseph Muscat's right hand man until his resignation in December 2019, is one of the people who will be charged today, as will the former energy minister Konrad Mizzi. The others who will be accused in court today are Yorgen Fenech, Nexia BT partners Karl Cini and Brian Tonna, Electrogas shareholder Paul Apap Bologna, and Mario Pullicino. Some of their companies will also be charged as separate entities. Our court reporter Thomas Cilia will be providing updates from inside the courtroom.