[WATCH] Audit into Konrad Mizzi’s New Zealand trust ‘work in progress, studies completed’

Audit into Konrad Mizzi's New Zealand trust 'work in progress'

The name of the independent audit firm auditing Konrad Mizzi’s trust set-up in New Zealand will only be made public once the audit is published, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has reiterated.

“What I can say that it is a firm of international repute. Whilst the audit is still work in progress, the studies have been completed. I think it’s best that everything is announced together.”

Konrad Mizzi, the former minister energy now a minister without portfolio, has been subjected to two audit investigations, one by the Inland Revenue Commissioner and the other by an international audit firm. The government has so far refused to name the firm.

The audit is into Mizzi’s trust set-up in New Zealand – which is run by trustees connected to the Mossack Fonseca group in Panama – and the company set up in Panama, which is in turn owned by a trustee firm that manages the trust.

OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri had also asked a firm of auditors independent of his financial consultants to carry out a verification of his own New Zealand setup and its operations.

“At the end of the day there will be a signature that confirms that there was no money in these companies,” Muscat said today.

The Prime Minister would not comment on whether Mizzi should have diverted questions raised in court to himself.

“I wasn’t there and I don’t know what he said. I haven’t seen the transcripts,” he said.

Yesterday in court, Mizzi invited a lawyer to direct his questions about the audit to the Prime Minister: “Those questions should be addressed to the Prime Minister, you can speak to the Prime Minister about it.”