‘Spineless and Bootlicking’ AG Must Resign After Claims He Wanted To Tread Carefully On Panama Papers Case, Lawyer Says
Malta’s Attorney General Peter Grech is facing renewed calls for his resignation after revelations in court that he warned police to tread carefully on investigations into the Panama Papers scandal or risk triggering unrest in Malta.
During this morning’s sitting of the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Judge Joseph Said Pullicino asked former Economic Crimes Unit (ECU) head Ian Abdilla about an ECU file which detailed the AG’s advice. Abdilla insisted he could not recall such advice.
Caruana Galizia was the journalist to reveal that former Minister Konrad Mizzi and former Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri held secret offshore accounts in Panama. The revelations would eventually lead to journalists uncovering that 17 Black, a target client of the Panamanian companies, belonged to Yorgen Fenech, the man accused of murdering Caruana Galizia.
“With his 2016 note ensuring impunity, Peter Grech, the Attorney General, signed the death warrant of Daphne Caruana Galizia”
“I have no words strong enough to denounce your spineless, amoral bootlicking of this Government. You intentionally advised and warned police not to prosecute for corruption Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Joseph Muscat in order to avoid unrest in the country.”
“The Attorney General has to resign or asked to resign today. Robert Abela has to choose: either be an accomplice in the culture of impunity which has killed Daphne and thus defends the AG, or do the right thing and formally ask him to resign. If not, the Opposition will do what must be done,” parte civile lawyer Jason Azzopardi wrote on social media.
MEP David Casa also reiterated calls for the AG’s resignation, insisting that Maltese institutions are not being allowed to do their duty.
“But they’ll help the criminal in government with all their might,” he said.
This is not the first time Grech has faced calls for his resignation. Activists and protestors called for him to step down immediately in the wake of Caruana Galizia’s murder and years of alleged inaction.
His office is facing controversies elsewhere after lawyer Charles Mercieca left his post as a state-prosecutor to join Fenech’s defence.
Do you think the Attorney General should resign? Comment below
READ NEXT: Nexia BT’s Karl Cini May Not Be Charged With Perjury After All
