In sworn affidavit, MEP’s former aide reveals David Casa’s drug habit

A former aide of the Nationalist MEP David Casa has declared in a sworn affidavit the euro-parliamentarian’s cocaine habit between the years 2009 and 2017 during which the two had a close relationship.

In his declaration, which this newspaper has seen, the former aide – describing himself as a whistleblower – says in unequivocal terms that he is a loyal Nationalist who has the interest of the party at heart.

“What I have to state is prompted by my belief that the representatives of the Nationalist Party and of this nation should be represented by exemplary individuals of high moral integrity. In this very moment David Casa is giving the impression of being a model politician when facts prove the contrary.”

In his affidavit, the former aide says he is taking this difficult step in the interests of the truth and what he believed is right.

He recounts in his sworn declaration that he was in the presence of David Casa when the MEP would spend weekends in hotels – one in St Julian’s and another in Attard – and that during these stays, a particular person would arrive at the hotel to sell Casa cocaine and that he would pay him in cash.

He describes how Casa would be surrounded by friends and also aides, with whom he would also share the drugs with. He also declares that during these weekends Casa could spend between €600 to €700 on these sessions.

“During these sessions he would be very talkative and hyper and a lot of alcohol would be consumed and there would be endless smoking of cigarettes with those present.

“He was so taken up by this drug habit that he would miss important political events and other private functions.

“There were also instances of drug taking in his office at the PN HQ but this did not continue after September 2017. His drug habits were well known to his entourage and most of his close aides and friends.”

The whistleblower is a longstanding Nationalist activist who has based his statement on his first-hand experiences by the side of the MEP.

In a reaction to the allegation, David Casa told MaltaToday: “I categorically and unreservedly deny this obscene allegation.”

In the rest of his long statement, Casa attempted to discredit the whistleblower, imputing that he had an association with the Labour government.

“Weaponising a troubled former disgruntled employee in this manner is a new low even for the Labour Party, and taking cognizance of it is a new low for MaltaToday.

“The aide to which you infer was moved out of my office after his gambling problem and the considerable debts it generated caused him to seek loans from dangerous people and to attempt to make good for those loans by involving his colleagues.

“I am extremely saddened by the realization that the situation must have deteriorated to such an extent that he felt no option but to be used in this manner and I hope that he seeks the help he needs.”

David Casa 49, is the longest serving member in the European Parliament and was first elected in 2004 on the PN ticket, this is his third legislature.

Casa also claimed he had “been aware of his presence in the company of Labour strategists”, namely the Prime Minister’s spokesperson Kurt Farrugia. “[I] have been expecting bizarre allegations to surface, this particular allegation is obscene.”

In a statement reported in other outlets, staff employed by David Casa said in a statement that they had never witnessed any of the allegations made in the affidavit.

“Throughout the duration of our employment with MEP David Casa, we have never witnessed any of the allegations published in today’s edition of MaltaToday. We have always experienced exemplary, professional and dedicated behaviour from MEP David Casa, whose work ethic and committent to his causes is why we choose to be employed in his office.”

The staff claimed this was part of a “a systematic vicious attack” targeting Casa and his office.

The statement was signed by all nine members of Casa’s staff: Nicholas Azzopardi, Etienne Zammit Guglielmi and Paul Degabriele, Salvatore Ellul Bonici, Michael Fenech, Andrew Formosa, Rebecca Galea, Fredrick Magro, and Christian Micallef.