Repubblika called on police Commissioner Angelo Gafa to stop dragging his feet and to act against these individuals immediately. He however stopped short of demanding the Gafa’s resignation. “We know he is capable, all he needs is the will to do so,” Aquilina said. 

He ran through a list of individuals, including disgraced former European Commissioner John Dalli, former minister Konrad Mizzi and the “criminals involved in Pilatus Bank”. 

Aquilina also pointed to former Malta Financial Services Authority CEO Joe Cuschieri, as well as former Malta Gaming Authority CEO Heathcliff Farrugia, both of whom were known to have close ties to Yorgen Fenech, the man accused of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

Farrugia is known to have been spoken to by the police, though he has not been charged in court over any crimes. 

Repubblika also noted that a certain Anthony Farrugia, known as il-Buddy, as well as Patrick Demanuele the Tumas Gaming COO, had both been spoken to by the police on several occasions but no further action was taken against them. 

Farrugia is believed to have helped Fenech purchase illicit items using bitcoin, while Demanuele has been linked to money laundering activities allegedly carried out by Fenech. 

The civil society group was critical of the Commissioner for failing to publicly state exactly why former Economic Crimes Unit chief Ian Abdilla had been suspended, also pointing out that he too had not been charged in court despite being linked with attempts to derail crucial corruption investigations. 

“There was a section of the population that believed in Gafa and who thought he would be different to his predecessor, yet the results never arrived… Every day that passes Angelo Gafa is becoming more and more like Lawrence Cutajar,” Aquilina said. 

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