A gym owner charged with bribing a police sergeant who leaked sensitive information about various police operations was remanded in custody upon arraignment on Thursday.
Ruud Buhagiar, 30, a self-employed gym owner from Marsascala, pleaded not guilty to involvement in a criminal organisation and a number of other serious crimes.
Police first got a whiff of the underhand criminal activity after a planned robbery from a private residence did not materialise.
The prosecution explained that police investigations into the suspected robbery were underway in October and one of the suspects was Buhagiar.
Later police got to know that somebody in the corps had leaked information to third parties, including Buhagiar.
A search and arrest warrant was obtained in respect of PS Cherise Camilleri. She was arrested on November 18.
Data from her phone indicated that she had passed on information to Buhagiar.
Three days later, the man was arrested upon his return from a holiday abroad. He was arrested at the airport.
He needed medical treatment at Mater Dei Hospital and was thus released on police bail.
Meanwhile, data extracted from his phone appeared to be connected to various police operations including raids by the drug squad and other police units.
Upon arraignment on Thursday he pleaded not guilty to promoting a criminal organisation, bribery of a public official, complicity in drug trafficking, and possession of cannabis under circumstances denoting that it was not solely for personal use.
He was also charged with improper use of electronic communications equipment as well as recidivism.
The prosecution requested a freezing order over Buhagiar’s assets and the court upheld the request.
'He corrupted the whole system'
Defence lawyers made a request for bail, arguing that although this was “undoubtedly a most serious incident”, the charges were pinned upon data extracted from Buhagiar and Camilleri’s phones.
That data was preserved by the police.
That data revealed third parties whom the police were possibly still to question and charge.
But when Camilleri was charged last Saturday, all those potentially involved in the organisation were alerted.
“The case was widely covered by the media and the whole of Malta was talking about it,” argued lawyer Alfred Abela.
Prosecuting Inspector Christina Delia objected to bail not only because of the gravity of the offences but also because of the risk of tampering with prosecution witnesses who also included civilians.
Moreover, although others involved in the criminal group might have been alerted, not all knew about Camilleri’s nor Buhagiar’s role in the organisation, added the prosecution.
And the very act of bribing a public officer reflected the defendant’s untrustworthiness.
“He corrupted the whole system,” stressed Inspector Lydon Zammit.
Abela rebutted that the police could have taken all their time to continue with their investigations while granting Buhagiar police bail, rather than object to bail arguing that investigations were still ongoing.
After hearing submissions, the court, presided over by Magistrate Abigail Critien, turned down the request in view of the nature of the crimes and the fact that witnesses were still to testify.
AG lawyers Kevin Valletta and Maria Francesca Spiteri also prosecuted.
Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene’ Darmanin were defence counsel.