د . إAEDSRر . س

Allied Newspapers Has ‘No Knowledge’ On Malta Enterprise Irregularity Claims And Distances Itself From Bribe Charges

Article Featured Image

Allied Newspapers has no knowledge of Malta Enterprise irregularities and said if Keith Schembri bribed anyone, it happened behind their back.

The company also reiterated that it does not own any offshore accounts, the directors said in a statement today.

Allied Newspapers, the company that publishes Times of Malta, said it wanted to clarify “a number of very serious and irresponsible allegations are being made” in the media.

The allegations come in the wake of two magisterial inquiries that have led to a slew of charges including corruption and financial crimes. Schembri had allegedly bribed a former managing director of both Allied Newspapers and Progress Press – Allied Newspapers’ sister company – Adrian Hillman as well as former managing director of Allied Newspapers, Vince Buhagiar,

“Contrary to what is being reported, the Company confirms that at no stage whatsoever did it ever receive any sum of money from the ex-Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, Keith Schembri, or any of his companies. Neither did Allied Newspapers ever hold an offshore account in the British Virgin Islands,” they said.

“If, however, money was in fact passed on by Schembri to two of the Group’s former managing directors as is being reported, then this was all done behind the back of the Group and its board of directors.”

The company also spoke about concerns over questions during an application for funding from Malta Enterprise, saying the company has “no knowledge of any irregularities in such aid and all applications and subsequent contracts were always vetted and confirmed as being granted in line with the eligibility for such aid”.

“On a final note, the Group reiterates that it was shocked by Saturday’s revelations and, as the injured party in all of these unfortunate events, it is very disappointed by the outcome and looks forward to the course of justice,” they ended.

“The Allied Group will continue to co-operate fully with the police investigations regarding the Schembri-Hillman case, as it did during the Magisterial Inquiry conducted by Magistrate Josette Demicoli.”

Eleven people were charged in relation to these two magisterial inquiries. One inquiry is related to allegations that Keith Schembri channelled over €650,000 to then-Allied Newspapers Managing Director Adrian Hillman between 2011 and 2015. The other is related to suspected kickbacks amounting to €100,000 from the sale of citizenship between Schembri and Nexia BT’s Brian Tonna.

What do you make of their reaction?

READ NEXT: Maltese Swimmer Mya Azzopardi Sets New National Record In Turkish Competition

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

You may also love

View All