Keith Schembri In Fresh Bail Request As Compilation Of Evidence Begins Friday
The compilation of evidence against former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri will begin on Friday, before Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech who is expected to decide on a fresh bail request filed by Schembri’s lawyers.
Schembri, along with ten others, was charged with corruption and money laundering on Saturday. All except one of those charged were denied bail and transferred to Corradino Correctional Facility.
Proceedings against Matthew Pace and Lorraine Falzon from Zenith Finance will be first to be heard on Thursday. The case against Nexia BT partners Karl Cini, Brian Tonna, Manuel Castagna and Katrin Carter Bondin is also expected to take place on Thursday.
The police’s charges followed the conclusion of two magisterial inquiries launched in 2017 following a request by then Opposition leader Simon Busuttil.
One inquiry related to a deal involving Allied Newspapers – the publishers of the Times of Malta – in which €650,000 was transferred from Schembri to Adrian Hillman – the former Allied Group managing director.
The second inquiry looked into allegations that Nexia BT partner Brian Tonna had transferred €100,000 to Schembri in suspected kickbacks from the sale of Maltese citizenship to two Russian nationals.
Schembri last week also filed a constitutional case claiming breaches of his fundamental rights, after Magistrate Josette Demicoli who was leading one of the inquiries recommended that criminal action be taken against Schembri.
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