The magisterial inquiry report into the fraudulent hospitals deal showed that whatever former prime minister Joseph Muscat touched raised suspicion of corruption, Repubblika’s Robert Aquilina said.

Addressing journalists at a press conference on Monday, Aquilina presented key points from the results of the 1,200-page report ahead of Muscat's arraignment on Tuesday.

“Tomorrow will see the start of a judicial process of a magnitude and importance which we have never seen before,” Aquilina said, referring to the arraignment as a "judicial earthquake".

He said that while in public Muscat repeatedly claimed that he wanted the truth to come out, he did everything in his power for the truth to remain a mystery. 

Quoting page 54 of the inquiry report, he noted how Muscat and his family refused to give the investigators the passwords to their devices, and it was officials from the US Homeland Security who had to step in to unlock the devices. 

Aquilina pointed out key details revealed in the Vitals Inquiry. Photo: Jonathan Borg

The conclusions of the inquiry also showed how further investigations must be held on Muscat, specifically his bank accounts from 2020 onwards, and his connections with projects, money loans, and permits granted to companies during his time as prime minister. 

“Whatever Muscat touched, there is suspicion of corruption,” Aquilina said.

Investigators were shocked

Aquilina noted how the investigators were "shocked" by the extent of fraudulent activities tied to the hospital's concession and how the inquiry details how the public's money was spent. 

Aquilina said it should actually be the police commissioner, rather than himself, who should be giving a detailed account of the evidence, which showed how a criminal organisation was led by Muscat.

He noted the “political support fund”, which was created by Steward Health Care, which took over the hospitals deal from Vitals and is suspected to have been set up to transfer bribes to Muscat as well as his chief of staff Keith Schembri, and then health minister Konrad Mizzi. 

Furthermore, Aquilina said, Prime Minister, Robert Abela was told years ago that the hospitals concession was fraudulent, and yet he still went on to hand Vitals and then Steward millions of euros in taxpayers' money.