Updated Thursday 9.07am with Katya De Giovanni reaction.

Labour MP and psychologist Katya De Giovanni is being investigated by the data commissioner over alleged “negligent disposal” of sensitive data.

The investigation was triggered by reports that documents with sensitive and voter information, which De Giovanni dumped in garbage bags, ended up scattered on the streets of Żebbuġ.

The data commissioner’s office told Times of Malta it has initiated an ex-officio investigation following “media reports relating to the alleged making available of personal and special categories of data as a result of a negligent disposal practice”.

The documents included the personal data of a long list of individuals, such as names, ID numbers and mobile phone numbers. Some documents included information about voters in the MP’s district who were struggling with certain issues, such as problems with rent. Other documents were psychoanalytical evaluations of her patients.

Professionals in the field told Times of Malta that such records are usually stored in a secure place for up to 10 years and are then shredded or destroyed in confidence through other means.

Such records usually stored in a secure place for up to 10 years

De Giovanni had told Times of Malta that “someone with bad intent rummaged through the waste, opened the bags, displaced some of them and scattered confidential information on the streets”.

She explained how a family member took the garbage outside to be picked up by the waste disposal trucks since she was ill. She stressed she threw away the data in opaque envelopes in secured recycling bags.

“The moment we were made aware of waste being scattered on the ground, we made the necessary arrangements for the waste to be picked up from the streets immediately.”

She also appealed for any CCTV footage to be shared so that the authorities can act against those who might have opened the litter bags and scattered the information on the streets.

De Giovanni writes to the Data Commissioner, claims 'concerted attack'

In a reaction on Thursday, De Giovanni said the Times of Malta report was the first time she learnt of the reported investigation, and she had not received any official notification.

She has written to the commissioner asking him to confirm the investigation and, that being the case, to send her the relative report and documentation to be granted a fair and reasonable opportunity to defend herself. 

The MP also said in a Facebook post that a few months ago, the Office of the Data Commissioner had asked her to remove a CCTV camera which she had installed after somebody vandalised her car mirror. She therefore turned the camera towards the wall.

Had the camera been kept in its original position, there would have been clear evidence of who tore up the rubbish bags and threw the data across the street.

"I have a clear idea of who this person is, I have a name and even a screenshot taken from social media which this person has since removed because she is a coward," the MP said.

Claiming that this is a 'concerted attack' she said she was leaving it up to those who read had comments to decide whether all this was coincidental or linked to the fact that she had opened an office in a prominent Żabbar location. 

Earlier this year, De Giovanni sued the University of Malta for ignoring her call to reverse a decision to deny her promotion to associate professor.