Ludwig Dimech, the contractor linked to the fatal collapse which claimed Miriam Pace’s life, pocketed over €1 million in direct orders and government contracts the year following Pace’s tragic death.

The Shift News’ analysis of a series of parliamentary questions by PN MP David Thake revealed that Infrastructure Malta issued contracts and direct orders worth over €1 million to two companies linked to Dimech – LK Ltd. and Dimbros Ltd. 

Dimech is the sole shareholder in LK Limited and a minority shareholder in Dimbros Limited. Dimech, who is a registered excavation contractor, has been charged with causing the death of Miriam Pace, who was killed when her house in Ħamrun collapsed as a result of works at an ongoing construction site in March 2020, which had begun a few weeks before.

Despite the incident, Dimech has seemingly continued to operate, with the help of taxpayers’ money. He has long been the recipient of government funds, with figures provided exclusively to this newsroom showing how between 2013 and 2019, the companies earned €1,040,950 and €1,190,470 in road contracts respectively.

Dimech appears to be a repeat offender. He had two separate sites, located in Marsaxlokk and Zejtun, sealed off for breaching regulations last year. Dimech still remained on the government-sponsored Malta Developers’ Association contractors registry until it was taken down last year. 

The government is yet to set up a list of registered contractors as promised in reforms following a series of non-fatal collapses in 2019. A lack of registry means that Dimech has and will continue to operate in the sector.

A few weeks after Pace’s death, Dimech was involved in the collapse of a large chunk of the road neighbouring one of his construction sites in St Julian’s. There was no damage to the property, and no one was injured. However, people who took the video had been passing along the very same walkaway just minutes prior.

The government has time and time again pledged reform in the sector following continued collapses and deaths in construction. However, it seems that for now, cowboy contractors will continue to operate with the aid of government funds and continued impunity.