The Nationalist Party has asked three of its local councillors to resign in light of bribery charges involving former Sliema mayor Nikki Dimech.
They are Sliema councillor Patrick Pace and St Julians councillor Raymond Cachia, as well as the vice-chairman of the Kappara administrative committee, Peter Calleja.
Mr Cachia and Mr Calleja have already stepped down while the resignation of Mr Pace is expected shortly, according to the PN.
Mr Pace and Mr Cachia have been charged with bribery involving Mr Dimech but no more details have been made available about their cases, which are still pending.
Mr Calleja, 54, was recently handed down an 18-month jail term suspended for three years after he confessed to bribery involving Mr Dimech.
He was also issued with a general perpetual interdiction, which means he loses his right to hold any public office or employment, as well as the right to vote. He was also interdicted from serving as a witness, except in court, and as an architect, in any circumstance.
This is the first conviction related to last year’s police investigation into the Sliema local council.
“I made a big mistake and I’m utterly sorry. Mea culpa,” a well-composed Mr Calleja told The Times yesterday when contacted for his reaction to the case.
Mr Calleja also made it a point to say that he had no complaints regarding his interaction with the police and was never mistreated, unlike what others involved in the web of investigations related to the Sliema council have claimed.
“There’s no harm in telling the truth. I ’m a gentleman, you’re a gentleman... I must say I was treated very well.”
A horticultural consultant by profession, Mr Calleja supplied ponsiettas to the council and provided consultancy services on its plans to buy fairy lights, where public procurement procedures were not followed.
According to the PN, Mr Calleja’s crimes involve paying commissions, but the mode of the corruption admitted is not clear as the police evidence was not available.
It is not known whether Mr Dimech has yet been charged over these incidents.
Mr Calleja is also a consultant to the Office of the Prime Minister as well as the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, and he lectures at Mcast’s agribusiness institute.
He was convicted on October 3 by Magistrate Claire-Louise Stafrace, following an investig-ation by police inspector Angelo Gafa.
The police investigation led to Mr Dimech’s public ousting last year but he has always insisted he was being framed.
The police have not yet replied to questions sent by The Times about the case.
When contacted, Mr Dimech simply pointed out that the investigation last year by the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate had found substantial irregularities and administrative shortcomings but no fraud.