Prime Minister hopeful Chris Fearne has proposed fresh powers for the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) when investigating suspected corruption and money laundering.

On Xarabank last night, Fearne said that when the FIAU finds a strong suspicion of money laundering and corruption, it shouldn’t only pass a report to the police, but also to the Attorney General, whose role was recently updated to render him solely a public prosecutor.

“Around 20 people used to work at the FIAU back in 2012 and its staff force has now increased to some 70 people and I want it to keep increasing its human resources,” he said. “However, I also want it to improve its operations. If the FIAU has a strong suspicion on corruption or money laundering, it shouldn’t only hand a report to the police but also to the public prosecutor. I want the FIAU to have more powers so that it can act immediately on suspicions.”

Fearne added that there shouldn’t be a direct line of communication between the Prime Minister and the Attorney General and that they should only communicate with each other through channels established by the Constitution.

The FIAU has been at the centre of several political controversies in recent years, after it uncovered strong suspicions of corruption and money laundering on a number of cases, including one involving 17 Black – the Dubai company owned by Yorgen Fenech, who has recently been charged in connection with the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.