Construction victim Jean Paul Sofia’s father told a court room on Friday how his “world has ended”, in a cry of despair as he wrapped up his lengthy testimony at the inquiry looking into the collapse at the Corradino site that killed his son. 

Almost a year since that tragic incident on December 3, the grieving father recounted how he would call his son to catch up on him whenever some time had lapsed since father and son spoke. 

“But today, it’s different, I cannot call you, you cannot reply and I cannot ask if you are still alive. But I know what the answer would be,” said John Sofia, his voice breaking. 

Reading from a lengthy document which he later presented to the board, Sofia posed numerous questions and observations, based on testimonies supplied so far at the inquiry and other personally-attested facts. 

So many public authorities involved in the construction sector had testified, he said, and yet there was no one to check the building being constructed, since even the Planning Authority shrugged off responsibility. 

Health and safety inspectors should face hefty fines for failing in their duties, suggested Sofia. 

That would make such inspectors think twice before closing an eye on any form of abuse, to avoid the consequences experienced like the Sofia family. 

Safety gear was also “non-existent” at Corradino, said Sofia, suggesting the introduction of some sort of locator gadget to be worn by construction workers. 

That would facilitate rescue operations in case of some construction incident. 

Due diligence 

The witness asked what kind of research Malta Enterprise carried out about the Corradino developers. 

In 2009, Kurt Buhagiar was arrested in Italy and jailed by the Italian courts for one year over human trafficking. Yet, despite being convicted of such a crime, he was subsequently engaged as person of trust by various top officials in government entities.

Since February 2022, Buhagiar has served as the personal driver of Lands Authority CEO Robert Vella and before that, he was the driver of former Water Services executive chairman William Wait.

He was put on the books of Water Services Corporation prior to the 2017 general election and was registered as meter reader. 

When Kurt Farrugia was appointed Malta Enterprise CEO, Buhagiar was also engaged as his driver. 

Moreover, Buhagiar was a shareholder at SC Building Group Limited, the company involved in the construction project at Gwardamangia that brought about the collapse of a neighbouring property. 

Buhagiar sold his shares in that company following that collapse, Sofia claimed. 

The developer had also obtained EU funding in the form of a farmers’ grant to the tune of €150,000 to build a farm on ODZ land. 

That ‘farm’ was simply a private country residence surrounded by a rubble wall for which Buhagiar had obtained an additional €62,000 grant to build. 

Was it possible that all this did not make any difference to both INDIS and Malta Enterprise, asked Sofia, questioning how the state entities could ensure that an applicant behind a particular project was “genuine or not”. 

Doubts were also cast upon the other developer, Matthew Schembri who was also facing criminal charges for allegedly engaging two employees to beat up his estranged wife’s father. 

Sofia said his son, Jean Paul, had been tasked to ferry gravel and rubble at a construction site at St Venera, alongside foreign workers who were carrying out excavation works. 

“And why did Matthew Schembri’s workers, who were carpenters, apply for and set up a construction company shortly before the developers acquired the Corradino site,” Sofia said. 

Many authorities, weak enforcement 

There were many authorities in the construction industry but each shrugged responsibility, pointing fingers at the other, observed Sofia.

The family noted various shortcomings during the 15-hour long rescue and recovery operation.

Civil Protection Department officials did not immediately have the number of persons involved in the collapse.

Apparatus to amplify signals from the service provider’s antenna would have helped to locate Jean Paul’s phone, which was not damaged but simply lacked reception since it was well below street level. 

Sensitive microphones to detect any signs of life were only introduced some hour and a half after the collapse. 

Neither himself nor Jean Paul’s mother were informed about the incident by any public official. 

It was one of their son’s friends who broke the news to Isabelle Bonnici who in turn called the father. 

And after their 16-hour ordeal at the Corradino site until their son’s lifeless body was pulled out of the rubble, the distraught parents were taken to Mater Dei Hospital at around 3am. 

After being assessed by a doctor and psychiatrist, they were discharged. 

“I just hope that something changes. That this public inquiry will prick consciences and bring about necessary changes in this sector.”

But most importantly, there needs to be a change in attitude even by workers who are to “protect their own skin”.

“I hope that construction will no longer be an easy money-generating industry,” said Sofia, before wrapping up his testimony with a final message to his son: I love you Jean Paul.”