Updated at 8pm with PL statement

There was no proof whatsoever of any political intervention to protect anyone from a drug-related probe in Gozo, a controversial inquiry has concluded.

The inquiry was ordered after a report in Malta Today had alleged that a statement given to the Gozo police during a drug-related investigation in summer 2013 was changed following a meeting involving “two senior politicians” and family members of the suspects.

But an inquiry report published by the government this afternoon claims otherwise. 

Moreover, the inquiry said it was confirmed to the board that the process in the case against three young people was managed in a correct way according to the applicable legal procedures.

The report notes that a statement by one of the young people involved - Zael Vella - was not changed as had been alleged by Malta Today. All three people involved were arrested, two were arraigned and the other was awaiting court procedures.It also said that no minister was implicated in the case as claimed and no police escort had ever been requested for a meeting in October 2013 between then Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia and Gozo Minister Anton Refalo.

It also said that no minister was implicated in the case as claimed and no police escort had ever been requested for a meeting in October 2013 between then Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia and Gozo Minister Anton Refalo.

The government also published a letter from the Prime Minister to the board seeking its advice and the board’s reply.

On Wednesday, the government said the Prime Minister had received the report but had asked for clarifications.

Just this morning, the Opposition challenged the Prime Minister to say why he had not yet published a report, days after he said he believed the inquiry would be a whitewash.

Read the report and the letters in the pdf links below.

PN statement

In a statement, the PN said that the inquiry’s conclusion was, as expected, a whitewash to cover-up what really happened.

The board, led by a former PL candidate, did not even have the basic decency to listen to the evidence of people who had useful information about the case, including the drivers of the ministers who allegedly had interfered, the escort police, the police involved in the investigations and shadow minister Chris Said. 

They also did not watch the CCTV footage from the cameras outside the ministry.

The case, the PN said, left no doubt that between his own political interest and the interest of drug victims and their parents, the Prime Minister chose political interest.

In Malta, respect to the rule of law was in total collapse and the Maltese were worried about safety, the PN said.

PL's reply

In a reply, the Labour Party said that as the Opposition leader did not like the inquiry result, he attacked it.

First he objected to a judge who had been appointed by the Nationalist administration. Then he had a problem with a lawyer who had been appointed chairman of the Employment Commission in agreement with the Nationalist Party, and now he was attacking an experienced lawyer.

He had also attacked another inquiry by Karm Vassallo who had been appointed Brigadier by a Nationalist government.

Simon Busuttil, the PL said, remained fake.