The former head of the police’s anti-money laundering unit has been charged with moneylaundering and corruption along with businessman Yorgen Fenech.
Aquilina was first arrested in April 2021 as part of a wider probe into police and government officials who potentially leaked sensitive information to suspects in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation.
Fenech stands accused of complicity in the 2017 murder of Caruana Galizia in a car bomb outside the journalist's home.
On Wednesday the former superintendent was charged with corruption, leaking official secrets, money laundering and perjury while Fenech was charged with complicity in the corruption of a public officer and money laundering.
They pleaded not guilty along with notary Mario Bugeja, who was charged with money laundering in the same case.
Times of Malta had exclusively revealed that Aquilina was poised to face criminal charges back in 2021.
As part of the leaks probe, investigators had zoomed in on the planned sale of a Birżebbuġa apartment to Aquilina, that Fenech was suspected of facilitating.
At that stage, Aquilina was meant to be investigating Fenech over his ownership of 17 Black, a secret company suspected to have been intended to funnel payments to former government officials Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.
Instead of Aquilina appearing as the property buyer, the property transaction was to be fronted by his parents, who would then donate it to their son.
Documents reviewed by Times of Malta indicated that Aquilina had claimed he was not buying the property directly himself as he was undergoing separation proceedings with his wife, and therefore did not want the property to form part of their joint assets.
Aquilina had claimed during the sale process that the property acquisition was being funded through his personal savings.
Times of Malta reported in May 2021 that officers from the police’s anti-money laundering unit believed that the Birżebbuġa apartment worth in excess of €180,000 was set to be sold to Aquilina’s parents for around a third of its market value by Fenech in 2018.
Sources said the apartment was then to be donated to Aquilina by his parents in what police suspected may be a case of bribery and money laundering.
It was not clear whether the property deal actually went through.
The apartment was originally owned by property magnate Joe Portelli who was also taken in for police questioning over the matter.
Soon after retiring from the police force, Aquilina was appointed as a manager within Enemalta’s internal audit and governance section. He no longer occupies the role.
Police Inspector Sean Friggieri prosecuted with lawyers Andrea Zammit and Gary Cauchi from the Attorney General’s office. Lawyer Charles Mercieca appeared for Fenech, Franco Debono and Andreana Zammit appeared for Bugeja and Lennox Vella appeared for Aquilina.