A police inspector suspended from the corps for allegedly leaking details about a convicted fraudster to Yorgen Fenech’s defence lawyers protested his innocence when facing criminal charges on Thursday.
Elton Taliana, 41, pleaded not guilty to computer misuse following an episode dating back to January when, police received information that data on the police computer system had been passed on to third parties.
That data concerned convicted fraudster Julian Hofstra who was serving time in a Dutch prison and was entitled to certain “privileges” on account of good conduct behind bars.
An audit check on the police system, spanning from 2018 to January 2021 showed that all searches were accounted for, except one that was linked to the Birkirkara police station, just days before the Dutch inmate allegedly received a visit from Fenech’s lawyers.
Testifying in court on Thursday, assistant commissioner Stephen Gatt explained how investigations had led to a search and arrest warrant against Taliana who was interrogated, but denied any wrongdoing.
He explained how, one day, he had been approached in court by lawyer Charles Mercieca, who allegedly offered information about a separate investigation being handled by Taliana.
The inspector’s mobile phone, seized and presented in court as evidence on Thursday, revealed a chat between Taliana and Mercieca including a screenshot of the police database showing Hofstra’s personal details.
During a second interrogation, Taliana did not deny the chat but held firm that he had sent that screenshot only with the intention of gathering more information relevant to another investigation.
The chat between the officer and Mercieca included one message requesting assistance to fix a medical appointment with the lawyer’s father, ophthalmologist Franco Mercieca.
Under cross-examination by Taliana’s lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, Gatt said that the inspector had produced fiscal receipts showing that he had paid for that medical visit at a private clinic, using his credit card.
Asked about the “secret” information implied by the charges issued against Taliana, Gatt explained that that information consisted of the name, surname, Malta address, telephone number and birthplace of the person targeted in the search.
“So is this the ‘secret’ supposedly given away by the police,” asked Azzopardi, pointing out that such information was available under the citizens database and was relevant for electoral registration purposes.
What concerned investigators was the fact that information was given out, Gatt said, prompting the lawyer to point out that similar details would be included in police affidavits.
“Accessing the system and passing on information to someone else is wrong. Mr Taliana should never have passed on information to Charles Mercieca,” insisted Gatt.
At the end of the hearing, the court, presided over by magistrate Nadine Lia, ordered a partial media ban on specific aspects of Gatt’s testimony.
The case continues.
Superintendent Geoffrey Azzopardi also prosecuted.