The #occupyjustice pressure group staged a protest outside the Auberge de Castille on Tuesday evening calling for a reopening of the Egrant Inquiry .
Egrant was a secret company registered in Panama along with two other companies owned by former minister Konrad Mizzi and former chief of staff Keith Schembri.
An inquiry by then magistrate Aaron Bugeja had failed to identify its owner or establish any links with then prime minister Joseph Muscat or his wife, despite claims to that effect.
"In spite of recent revelations regarding the Egrant Inquiry and all the dirty manoeuvres by Pilatus Bank officials and employees, there hasn’t been so much as a peep of action from the Floriana Police Depot or the Attorney General’s office," Occupy Justice said.
"Whilst they’re dragging their feet and coming up with excuses to justify their inaction, making sure that justice is delayed, criminals roam free and are gifted years of a headstart to cover their tracks. It seems that our institutions are spinelessly hell-bent in protecting fraudsters and corrupt individuals, instead of investigating them."
It recalled that Finance Minister Clyde Caruana on November 1, 2019 pledged to make available all necessary resources should there be “a request” to reopen the Egrant Inquiry.
That request, it said, was made by Magistrate Ian Farrugia who called for it to be reopened. The Attorney General was legally obliged to comply with Magistrate Farrugia’s order. Instead, this was ignored.
The group said that it was also making the request but the terms for the inquiry should not be drafted by the prime suspect in the case.
"The contempt with which the government has treated the Maltese people for these past ten years is unprecedented, using its privilege and power to shield those who should have faced justice years ago. All this makes us wonder as to who is really pulling the strings.The reopening of the Egrant Inquiry is long overdue. You should be beyond ashamed of yourselves for ignoring this. History will not be kind to you for betraying those you were duty-bound to serve and protect. Take action or resign," the group said.