Anġlu Farrugia on Monday threw the ball back in the public accounts committee's court, when ruling on whether Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa' should testify in an Electrogas probe. 

Last week PL MPs on the committee objected to Gafa' being called to testify in front of the PAC in a probe into the Electrogas power station contract.

Alex Muscat among others argued that the National Audit Office’s probe into the contract had not found any criminal wrongdoing, therefore there was no need to summon Gafa'.

However, auditor General Charles Deguara, whose report on the Electrogas contract the public accounts committee is examining, clarified that his office is not an investigative body. Rather, its job is to scrutinise documents and procedures for any good governance failings.

He also confirmed that all his office’s reports are sent to the police commissioner.

PAC chair Darren Carabott, a PN MP, argued that it is in the public interest to establish whether the Electrogas contract is being investigated by the police.

Parliamentary Secretary Andy Ellul meanwhile maintained that the committee has no remit to “investigate the police’s investigations”.

On Monday the Speaker said the final decision on whether a witness should testify before the committee falls in the hands of its members. This could be decided through a majority vote.