Judge Giovanni Grixti has informed OPM Minster Carmelo Abela that police are investigating him in connection with the infamous 2010 failed heist on the HSBC Headquarters.

On 5th May, the police wrote a letter to Grixti, the judge overseeing the longstanding case against Vincent Muscat and Darren Debono, the two men who have been facing charges over the heist for the past 11 years.

The police informed Grixti that they have reopened an investigation into allegations that Abela, a senior HSBC officer at the time, may have helped the robbers carry out the heist by giving them key cards to access sensitive areas of the bank.

They asked the judge for a copy of the testimony Abela had given behind closed doors back in 2011 in connection with his access to equipment capable of generating key cards.

Instead of handing the evidence to the police, Grixti informed Abela, as well as the Attorney General, of the police’s request, giving them 24 hours to respond.

Through his lawyer Pawlu Lia, Abela insisted that he has forgotten testifying in the first place but that “if he did” then he has no problem with the police being given a copy of his testimony. 
He also requested that he also be given a copy of the testimony as all other documents about him that may be given to the police commissioner.”

On 10th May, Judge Grixti noted that Abela’s response was conditional on him also receiving the evidence and therefore notified the AG, the police commissioner, Vincent Muscat and Darren Debono.

Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi had said Muscat, who has been convicted for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, may be ready to implicate Abela in the heist. Abela has vehemently denied the claims and has filed libel proceedings against Azzopardi, which are set to commence tomorrow.