Investigations into alleged leaks by current and former members of the Police Force like former Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and former Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta will be left in the hands of magisterial inquiries, new Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa has said.

“There are magisterial inquiries underway regarding potential leaks from Silvio Valletta and Lawrence Cutajar. There is a total collaboration between the police and the magisterial inquiry in this case,” Gafa told Lovin Malta at a press conference.

“Whatever needs to happen will happen, but I believe that this case has to be lead by the magistrate. It is not because I have any doubt in the police but it’s important to have oversight from outside the force on cases dealing with police force members.”

Despite this, Gafa insisted that under his watch the police force would not be weak on corruption issues, particularly when it comes to major political figures. Malta has never seen an MP charged with corruption and recent years have seen numerous serious allegations go by without any prosecutions by police.

“I will give a 100% guarantee that I will investigate whoever regardless of their position,” Gafa said, who previously led an investigation into former EU Commissioner John Dalli (no charges were ever filed).

Both Cutajar and Valletta have been revealed to be potential leaks in the investigations into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Cutajar has confirmed that he met with a close associate of the state witness to inquire about potential recordings but insists there was no wrongdoing.

Allegations against Valletta, the husband of former Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana, are far more serious.

Murder suspect Yorgen Fenech claims in recordings that he was fed information on the investigation directly from Valletta and the former Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri. These details included the arrest of the three men charged with carrying out the murder, a potential pardon, that their phones were wiretapped, and that Chris Cardona’s number was discovered on the phone of one of Daphne’s killers.

Valletta, who is referred to as “Valletta l-oħxon” in Theuma’s secret recordings of Fenech, was leading the case into the assassination until he was forcibly removed by court order.

He’s been revealed to have held intimate dinners with Fenech and to having gone abroad with him on at least two occasions. Meanwhile, there is a video of Valletta “fooling around” in Fenech’s Rolls Royce. Valletta’s wife, former Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana, was made to resign as a result of these revelations.

Valletta has denied all the claims that he leaked information on the case.

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