Police sergeant, gym owner charged with leaking information granted bail
Hearings heard behind closed doors
A former police sergeant and gym owner charged with leaking confidential information about multiple police raids were both granted bail on Tuesday.
Cherise Camilleri, 28, a former member of the drug squad, was charged as the suspected mole following a tip-off. Police were alerted that a policewoman by the name of 'Cherise', who had a tattooed arm, was possibly leaking sensitive information.
In November, she was arraigned and remanded in custody. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the same month, Rudd Buhagiar, 30, a self-employed gym owner from Marsascala, was charged with bribing Camilleri.
Buhagiar was charged with 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.
Data from Camilleri’s phone indicated that she had passed on information to Buhagiar. Data extracted from his phone appeared to be connected to various police operations, including raids by the drug squad and other police units.
He pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, the two sittings presided by Magistrate Gabrielle Vella were held behind closed doors. Both Camilleri and Buhagiar were granted provisional bail under various conditions, including signing a bail book at the police station twice a day, depositing €20,000 each and a personal guarantee of €100,000 each.
AG lawyers Kevin Valletta and Maria Francesca Spiteri are prosecuting together with inspectors Christina Delia and Lydon Zammit.
Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Frank Anthony Tabone are defence counsel for Camilleri. Lawyers Alfred Abela, Yanica Barbara Sant and Rene’ Darmanin were defence counsel for Buhagiar.