Commission says 'no shred of evidence of corruption was committed' by Jason Azzopardi

The Permanent Commission Against Corruption ruled that there was “no shred of evidence of any corruption committed” by former PN Minister Jason Azzopardi in a case that goes back to more than five years.

Charles Catania had filed a complaint in 2010 claiming that his family was not given possession of field in Gudja.

Originally, the church owned the land. After the Church-State property agreement, the land passed on to the government.

The field was administered by the Joint Office and leased to Gabriel Farrugia, who was single when he passed away. Farrugia was the great uncle of Dennis Catania who eventually applied with the Property Division to be handed the title over the land in Gudja.

The Property Division had ruled that no one had the right to take over the title.

Later, the field was handed, through an encroachment, to the two Band Clubs in Gudja.

The Commission concluded that there was “no shred of evidence of corruption, attempted corruption or complicity to commit corruption.”

In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said that this shows the difference between Ian Borg and Jason Azzopardi’s case.

“In Borg’s case, the Commission confirmed that it endorsed the Ombudsman’s report which shows that the property permit for a farmhouse in Rabat was acquired through devious methods,” PN said.

The Nationalist Party said that this shows the difference between the two parties. “On one hand, an Opposition Leader that leads with honesty, and on the other, a Party Leader that defends abuse.”

The Labour Party said that Jason Azzopardi has been hiding the investigations carried out by the Permanent Commission Against Corruption for five years. “Azzopardi never suspended himself until the investigations were over. This is a case of real hypocrisy,” it concluded.