A journalist from ONE was among people mentioned in chats investigated in a corruption case concerning three Transport Malta officials as a possible candidate for whom help was solicited to get his driving licence, a court heard on Thursday.

However, the police were still delving into the voluminous evidence and had not yet questioned the people behind the requests for assistance which triggered criminal charges against Clint Mansueto, a director at Transport Malta, as well as his subordinates Raul Antonio Pace and Philip Edrick Zammit. 

The trio are currently facing charges over an alleged racket whereby government ministries and private individuals sought help for particular candidates to pass their driving test. 

Police were first placed on the trail of the suspected corruption by a foreign interpreter, regularly called upon to assist non-Maltese and non-English candidates during their theory test. 

Although his task was to read out and translate questions, the interpreter claimed that several times he was contacted by the director, Mansueto, to go beyond his call of duty by pointing out the correct answers to candidates. 

That information was supplied to the police in 2020, originally via email and later during questioning of the whistleblower who also mentioned one instance where Mansueto had confessed that he felt “obliged” to help four Arab candidates who had worked “at a minister’s villa”.

In a previous sitting, the court had heard how Mansueto told police under questioning that he felt "pressured" to help certain people pass the test "because they were working at a villa belonging to a government minister".

But when the case continued on Thursday, prosecuting Inspector Wayne Borg clarified that the minister had allegedly been mentioned by Mansueto to the whistleblower and not to the investigator himself.

Since then, the interpreter had left the island and Mansueto never named any minister during interrogation. 

'Complex case'

Under cross-examination by Pace’s defence lawyer Joe Giglio, Borg insisted that the police were still investigating the complex case, including chats and other material produced as evidence in a USB drive that was presented in court and made available to the parties.

“What about the individuals who triggered these charges? Did you speak to them?” Giglio asked.

“We are investigating,” said the inspector, adding that all names were being followed up.

“But since 2020 did you identify all the persons behind all this?” persisted Giglio.

“The process is still ongoing. Some have been identified, but others not yet,” said Borg, mentioning as an example former Transport Malta official Donald Gouder who could also possibly face charges in due course. “What about the persons from various ministries? Did you interrogate them?”

“Not yet,” said the inspector, pointing out that requests came not just from ministries but also from private individuals who contacted Mansueto for help on behalf of third parties. 

Nephew called 'Galdes', 'Joe from a ministry'

Borg was asked about a certain “Maria Assunta Camilleri” who sent Mansueto messages and offered money to make sure that her nephew, a certain “Galdes”, and other persons mentioned in the chats, passed their driving test.

His client, Pace, did not feature in those chats, Giglio pointed out. 

As for the requests received from persons linked to “a political party” mentioned by the witness during his previous testimony, on Thursday he explained that there were references to, “for example, Joe from a particular ministry”.

But the chats dated back to 2018, thus implying that the ministries were those under the current administration, remarked Giglio. 

Asked about examiners who claimed to have felt “uncomfortable” and followed Mansueto’s directions during the practical tests, Borg said that those would not be prosecuted but were expected to be summoned as prosecution witnesses. 

'Francesco tal-One'

“Who was the person who sought help for ‘Francesco tal-One’ mentioned in the chats,” pressed on Giglio.

“We’re still investigating,” replied the inspector, adding that this corruption case was not the only one he was handling. 

The investigation was a complex one because they had to distinguish valid applications and justified communication, from others that were suspicious, explained Borg.

Lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office, assisting the prosecution, further pointed out that they could not wait to take action until investigations were completely wrapped up as they might risk certain charges being time-barred. 

However, in light of such state of affairs, Magistrate Rachel Montebello ordered the relevant authorities to carry out all necessary investigations to “ensure that all those involved in the facts which gave rise to the charges against the three accused are investigated as necessary and any opportune action is taken against all those involved.”

Mansueto’s lawyer, Arthur Azzopardi, asked whether the police had verified if the whistleblower was “of sound mind”.

No evaluation had been carried out but some of the information supplied was later verified from the voluminous emails concerning Mansueto. 

Charges were issued in respect of those persons identified as directly linked and investigations will continue.

Workers at minister's villa 'not identified'

As for the four Arab nationals working at a “minister’s villa” those workers were not identified and police did not find a link, having only the interpreter’s version as to what Mansueto had allegedly told him. 

Pierre Montebello, chief officer at the land transport directorate, also testified on Thursday.

He said that after the police approached them in March 2021, the former chairman instructed him to give police full information to a set of questions sent to Transport Malta.

Most of the information was supplied by Mansueto himself and after it was discussed internally, it was sent to the investigating inspector. 

Montebello confirmed various documents including an application by a certain Matthew Vella, a Transport Malta examiner who went for his own motorcycle test.

Internal checks showed that something was wrong with the vehicle category as indicated but the relative licence was subsequently changed to the correct category. 

The case continues. 

Attorney General lawyers Abigail Caruana Vella and Gary Cauchi assisted the prosecution. Lawyer Jacob Magri was also counsel to Mansueto. Lawyer Herman Mula was counsel to Zammit. Lawyer Roberta Bonello Felice was also counsel to Pace.