Identity Malta has denied it “maliciously” revoked the residence permit of a whistleblower whose information led to arrests linked to a driver’s licence racket within Transport Malta.

The agency was reacting to claims by independent candidate Arnold Cassola last week.

In a Times of Malta Talking Point, Cassola said that the whistleblower, whom he refers to using the pseudonym Aziz, had lived in Malta for almost two decades before his permission to remain in the country was revoked.

Cassola claimed the action was taken in retaliation for his attempts to reveal corruption at the transport agency, forcing him to leave the country.

“A crucial witness was pushed away from Malta and is now unable to testify in person,” he claimed.

However, Identity Malta disputed the claim in a statement sent to Times of Malta.

“Identity Malta Agency categorically denies that it has maliciously revoked his residence permit, as the story claimed,” it said.

“Without divulging any personal information, and contrary to what was claimed, the applicant failed to submit the required documentation for a renewal application, even after the matter was brought to his attention.”

Aziz is believed to be the whistle-blower who brought an alleged Transport Malta licensing racket to light.

He worked as a translator with Transport Malta by assisting candidates who spoke neither Maltese nor English during their driving exam.

Aziz wrote an e-mail to the police detailing a racket in which officials were assisting student drivers in cheating on their exams.

This led to three people, former TM director Clint Mansueto and officials Raul Antonio Pace and Philip Edrick Zammit, facing corruption charges.

Testimony in court has suggested that Mansueto would pressure driving test examiners to pass certain candidates allegedly flagged by ministries, with multiple examiners testifying to the pressure they faced.