The public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia continued on Friday, hearing the testimony of Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty behind closed doors.
The revenue chief returned to the witness stand one week after he was confronted before the inquiry board about messages exchanged with Yorgen Fenech, the businessman accused as being an accomplice in the journalist’s murder.
During last week’s sitting, Gaerty had been asked to supply information about the tax status of companies and individuals mentioned in the Panama Papers leak.
Yet, lawyers for the tax department had argued that such information could only be provided upon clearance by the prime minister in terms of law.
That argument was countered by the state advocate, Chris Soler, who said that the government was not impeding the commissioner’s testimony.
Agreement was finally reached to limit the list to those companies and individuals most relevant to the inquiry and the witness was granted one week to return to the board with the requested details.
However, as soon as Gaerty stepped onto the witness stand on Friday, lawyers representing his department requested the board to proceed with the testimony behind closed doors.
The reason given was that since investigations are ongoing, information about particular persons or companies may cause prejudice.
Lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia, representing the victim’s family, pointed out that two political figures, namely former minister Konrad Mizzi and former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, had made public statements that investigations in their regard had been wrapped up.
That was in the public domain, Comodini Cachia said.
But the tax lawyers rebutted that disclosing information about certain individuals could impinge upon investigations concerning third parties.
Moreover, there were ongoing police investigations and parties who might not even be aware of being investigated.
In light of such arguments, the board ordered the testimony to proceed behind closed doors.
Sources later informed Times of Malta that a former director-general of compliance and investigations at the tax department, Tarcisio Scicluna, also took the witness stand to supply information as requested by the board.