A court has rejected civil society group Repubblika’s request for police commissioner Angelo Gafa to take criminal action against Pilatus Bank's top officials.

Repubblika had instituted proceedings back in 2022, calling on the courts to order the police commissioner to prosecute Pilatus Bank after the conclusion of the magisterial inquiry found evidence of money laundering, criminal association and other crimes.

The magisterial inquiry also found possible trading in influence between its chairman Ali Sadr and former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri. 

On Tuesday the challenge was rejected by Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia, on the basis that the evidence brought forward was not sufficient to issue such an order. 

Reacting to the judgement, former Repubblika president Robert Aquilina took to Facebook to say the NGO would be appealing the decision.

The NGO expects to receive the full sentence later on to allow them to prepare the appeal.

He said Magistrate Lia said there was not enough evidence tabled despite the NGO presenting the full magisterial inquiry, “filled with evidence” and how the magistrate had ordered five individuals to be charged with serious criminal offences which did “enormous damage to our country”.

Aquilina had published details from the magisterial inquiry in his book, Pilatus: A laundromat bank in Europe.

“We knew from the start we were going to be taking an uphill battle and that the odds against us were great,” he said.

“But for the good of our country, we will continue this fight until the end.”

Aquilina concluded the post by thanking lawyer Jason Azzopardi for assisting Repubblika in the case.