Watch: ‘I Will Be Your Worst Nightmare’ – Magisterial Inquiry Into Alleged ID Card Scandal To Be Launched, Jason Azzopardi Announces
A request for a magisterial inquiry into what is allegedly Malta’s biggest corruption scandal concerning a single government agency or department has just been accepted… but there’s more to the news that could mark a pivotal moment for the island.
In a 16-minute Facebook livestream moments ago, prominent lawyer and former PN MP Jason Azzopardi announced that, 14 days after he had filed a request to investigate alleged corruption, conspiracy, organised crime, falsification of documents and money laundering surrounding an Identita’ racket, a duty magistrate yesterday accepted his request.
“This is a historic development,” Azzopardi said, saying this shows that the system to kickstart the magisterial inquiry was available to “a normal, private citizen” like himself, helping him achieve what prominent figures like Prime Minister Robert Abela and Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa could not do in over two years. “From this point onwards, anybody who has received correspondence at his home with the name of a foreign national they do not know, can inform the inquiring magistrate to investigate. Stand up, take action and do not be afraid. Castille’s mafia is scared of all of us.”
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According to Azzopardi’s claims under oath, the alleged €60 million identity fraud racket involving Identita’ (formerly Identity Malta) saw thousands of fraudulent identity cards being issued to third-country nationals, potentially undermining Malta’s immigration system and the integrity of European Union residency rights. Alleged to have started operating in 2015, the scandal reportedly saw approximately 18,000 false Maltese identity cards issued to individuals primarily from Egypt and Libya. Each document was allegedly sold for prices ranging from €2,000 to €8,000, generating an estimated €60 million for those involved. And what’s more, falsified documents were also allegedly sent to these individuals to addresses which they not only lived in, but those belonging to Maltese citizens who had no idea of the racket.
Identita’ has since denied these claims, saying an investigation had been conducted and some information had been passed to the police about “some individuals”.
If no appeal is filed in the next two days, Azzopardi explained, the inquiry process is set to commence on Friday 16th August, the day after Santa Marija.
“To whoever is aware that the guillotine will now fall on their necks, this is the time to come forward and request for the status of whistleblower,” Azzopardi warned towards the end of this morning’s video. “Because when it’s too late, don’t stay crying. I will be your worst nightmare, take it from me.”
What do you make of this development?
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