Possible discrepancies in testimony given by former FIAU manager Jonathan Ferris at the Egrant inquiry sparked criminal investigations against him for perjury, a court heard on Monday.
That inquiry, conducted by former magistrate, now Judge Aaron Bugeja, was wrapped up in July, 2018 and among its conclusions was a recommendation to investigate three individuals, namely Ferris, former Pilatus Bank employee Maria Efimova and Nexia BT's Karl Cini.
Ferris had claimed during his inquiry testimony that he identified a $600,000 transaction from an Azeri politically exposed person to Buttardi, a company owned by a close friend of Michelle Muscat, the former prime minister's wife.
Forensic analysis carried out as part of the inquiry failed to find any trace of the alleged transaction between Leyla Aliyeva, daughter of Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Alijev, and the New York-based fashion company Buttardi. Ferris had claimed the payment was masked as a loan.
Testifying in court was former police inspector Matthew Vella who, together with his superior, now superintendent Yvonne Farrugia serving in the European Public Prosecutor's Office, had been tasked with handling the statements of the suspected persons.
Although Vella could not say with certainty who had assigned the file to him, he said that “more likely yes than no, it came from [former assistant commissioner] Ian Abdilla”.
The witness explained that up to the time when he left the police corps in June 2019, the only discrepancy appeared to be that Ferris “said one thing and the inquiry said something else”.
At that point, investigations were still ongoing, the former Economic Crimes officer said, pointing out that his involvement had been limited to taking statements from both Ferris and Cini.
Investigations in respect of Efimova were stultified because of an issue concerning extradition.
The prosecution informed the court, presided over by magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia that superintendent Yvonne Farrugia was now working in Brussels and therefore could possibly testify remotely. But before proceeding to that testimony, the court is to hear submissions about a request filed earlier on by the Muscat spouses to intervene as parte civile in this case.
Their request was filed in court by means of a note dated November 20, 2020, even before criminal charges had been issued.
Meanwhile, in separate proceedings against Efimova, the court was informed that the former Pilatus bank employee had not yet been traced, despite a European Arrest Warrant in her regard.
The cases continue in January.
Lawyer Pawlu Lia appeared on behalf of the Muscat couple whose status in the proceedings is still to be decided upon.
The inquiry was triggered by former prime minister Joseph Muscat over a report by assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, which claimed his wife Michelle was the owner of the mystery Panama company Egrant.
In September 2020, the former FIAU manager lost a case in which he demanded a declaration that the government’s decision not to grant him whistleblower status was null and breached his human rights.
Ferris claims he was fired from the FIAU because he dug too deep into government corruption allegations in the course of his investigations.