Updated 1.24pm with Identita' statement below
A magistrate has upheld an application for the holding of a magisterial inquiry into an alleged scam which saw the government's identity agency Identita' issue Maltese ID cards on the basis of forged documents.
The application was made on July 31 by lawyer Jason Azzopardi who also publicly claimed that some 18,000 ID cards were issued.
On Tuesday he hailed the magistrate's decision as historic and urged people to come forward with information.
"Everyone has a duty to stand up for what is right, do not let them steal your identity and our dignity," Azzopardi said in a Facebook broadcast.
The duty magistrate, he said, issued a 17-page decree on Monday, upholding the application.
"This involves the biggest ever corruption scandal in this country by a government agency or department," he said.
It involved corruption and money laundering for the granting of Maltese ID cards to foreigners on the basis of forged documents.
In his sworn declaration, Azzopardi explained, he had named two persons, Bernard Attard and Maria Spiteri. Spiteri was in the Brexit section of Identita' and Attard collected money - running into several thousand euros each time - from those who received the ID cards.
The falsified documents included marriage certificates, certificates from UK local councils, and the Malta Business Registry. They were not falsified internally within those organisations but by those involved in the scam. The scam also saw the addresses of many people being stolen.
Azzopardi said the authorities, including Police Commissioner Angeo Gafa' had known about this racket from at least October 2022.
"Please understand the moment," Azzopardi said. Why had no action been taken about this by the authorities? Was it possibly because a proper investigation would lead right into the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office?
Azzopardi said the inquiring magistrate had established that there was enough evidence for a magisterial inquiry to be opened. The people mentioned in the application had two days within which to appeal. Should an appeal be made, the criminal court would decide the matter. If matters went ahead, lots would be drawn to designate a magistrate to hold the inquiry.
The inquiry will investigate corruption, money laundering, falsification of documents, trading in influence, conspiracy, and membership in a criminal organisation.
Azzopardi asked why the minister responsible for Identita' - Byron Camilleri - had not spoken up about this scandal.
"It is easier to find Casper the friendly ghost than this minister," he remarked.
In comments to Times of Malta later on Tuesday, Camilleri said he welcomed further scrutiny through an investigation and insisted that the state agency has always done its duty and reported illegalities to the police.
Azzopardi said he was being 'bombarded' by people who described how they had been receiving at their addresses correspondence addressed to foreigners they did not know and who had never lived there.
People who had received such mail needed to speak to him, or to the magistrate, he said.
And now was the time for people directly involved in the racket to speak out as whistleblowers, before it became too late for them. If they did not speak up "I will become your worst nightmare," Azzopardi said.
As assassinated Italian judge Giovanni Falcone used to say, the mafia could only be destroyed when people spoke up, he stressed.
Identita' says it has already handed information to the police
In a reaction, Identita' said it would collaborate in any investigations.
It said that after an internal investigation by its Compliance Unit it had itself submitted information and evidence about some individuals to the police for further investigation and action if necessary. That investigation was sparked by regular audit procedures within the agency.
The Compliance Unit investigated any suspicions and people had been sent to prison as a result.
It also pointed out that over the past few years it improved its governance.