High-Profile Lawyer Confirms Being Raided By Police Regarding Files Related To VGH
Lawyer Kevin Deguara, senior partner of DF advocates, confirms that police have raided his house and offices in search of files related to VGH.
The raids come during ongoing investigations and a magisterial inquiry into allegations of corruption and other possible crimes connected to the privatisation of three public hospitals to VGH.
The police action follows orders by the inquiring magistrate.
In May 2019, NGO Repubblika alleged previous ministers Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona and Konrad Mizzi of giving VGH an unfair advantage in the contract’s selection process.
Kevin Deguara’s name comes up in several controversial projects of the disgraced Joseph Muscat government.
Besides VGH, Deguara and DF Advocates have also provided legal advice to the directors of Pilatus Bank and to the Sadeen Group, which runs the American University of Malta.
He is also a shareholder of the Shoreline project at Smart City and a non-executive director of the Dizz Group, a major retail fashion company owned by Diane Izzo, who is herself a close friend of Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle.
Kevin Deguara said to Manuel Delia that it appeared that information about the magisterial inquiry and related investigations were leaked to third parties including the press.
“This is very serious in that it can interfere and mislead investigations,” he said. “I will therefore have to immediately inform the inquiring magistrate of this communication.”
He said that his firm’s links to VGH were “purely and simply that of having acted as legal advisors for the companies forming part of VGH.”
“It would seem that there exists a magisterial inquiry in connection with VGH and as many others, including other firms, I was asked by the police to provide files and information in relation to VGH. This includes information which is covered and protected by lawyer-client privilege.”
He continues to say that the magisterial inquiry does not relate nor involve him nor his firm. “Any inference to this effect is strongly opposed, and I hereby reserve the right to defend my interest and that of my firm by inter alia taking those actions permitted at law against those who will attempt to tarnish my, our firm’s reputation.”
He will also communicate the issue to the Chamber of Advocates for their intervention.
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