The Office of the Prime Minister on Sunday refused claims by one of the alleged ringleaders of a social benefits fraud who said he was told he would not be prosecuted if he fired his lawyer Jason Azzopardi.

On Saturday, Roger Agius told Andrew Azzopardi on RTK103: "I got a message from the OPM. They told me ‘get rid of your lawyer, Jason Azzopardi. We will get you a lawyer and you won’t be charged". 

He also claimed that one of Minister Michael Falzon's people of trust made money from the racket.

Agius, who served as the official driver to junior minister Andy Ellul, is one of five people accused of having perpetuated a massive, years-long fraud that saw people being falsely classified as disabled to be granted monthly benefit payments.

His lawyer Azzopardi meanwhile told the radio programme that his client’s experience with the OPM tallied with what he heard from another client of his, who is one of the people charged with having received fraudulent benefit payments.

But on Sunday the OPM "categorically and vehemently" denied the allegation, with a spokesperson saying it was "nothing but a blatant lie which Agius is perpetrating to try divert and obstruct the course of justice in the proceedings pending against him".

They added that a number of people accused of participating in the organisation of the alleged offences, assisted by lawyers other than Azzopardi, were also arraigned in connection with this case and no alleged organiser of these offences was spared the course of justice. 

They insisted it was OPM itself that had "immediately, without any fear or favour", reported the alleged offences to the police.

"Azzopardi and his client should stop playing media stunts, and if they are indeed convinced of what they are stating, they should bring to the attention of the presiding Magistrate or the Executive Police the name of the alleged individual.

"Until they do so, and substantiate their allegation, they both remain complicit in trying to divert the course of justice. This is how justice should proceed, and not with media stunts intended to skew and manipulate public opinion."