Testimony implicating Keith Schembri in $5.5m in bribes over a single deal dominates headlines of local newspapers this Saturday.

Times of Malta reports that Schembri “defrauded Progress Press of millions” of euro through the tainted machinery sales, allegedly working with his business partner Malcolm Scerri and Progress executives Adrian Hillman and Vince Buhagiar to pocket money from the deals.

The newspaper also gives prominence to the Chamber of Advocates noting that some judges and magistrates appear not to be taking COVID-19 restrictions seriously, holding non-urgent court sessions or hold hearings in cramped courtrooms.

The Malta Independent writes that Schembri bought machinery to sell on to Progress Press using offshore accounts to avoid tax.

The newspaper also gives prominence to Friday’s COVID-19 figures, when 103 new cases were found and four patients died.

In-Nazzjon also leads with Schembri, writing that he “defrauded millions” through tax evasion and money laundering.

L-Orizzont has the Schemri court case on its front page, albeit as a secondary story. Iot writes that $5m profit was split between Schembri, Hillman and Buhagiar [a court heard that Schembri’s partner Scerri was also involved].

The newspaper dedicates its main front-page story to Charmaine Gauci’s weekly COVID-19 briefing, in which she said community measures were working to bring down case numbers.