More than 20 representatives were asked to confirm whether Kasco and Mtrace held accounts with their banks or not
LIVE | Compilation of evidence kicks off with a formality
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11:17 | We’re done, though the magistrate allocated two hours for today’s hearing. The next hearings will be held on Thursday 8 August from 11:30, and on Wednesday 21 August from 10:00.
11:09 | What we’ve been following for some 45 minutes now is just a formality which is part of the compilation of evidence process.
It has to be confirmed that these banks – whose representatives were already questioned during the inquiring magistrate’s investigation – were in fact not providing banking services to the companies of the accused … or if they were, in what way the banks were providing said services.
11:01 | Sarah Rausi obo Bank of Valletta says that Kasco and Mtrace did have a banking relationship with BOV between 2016 and 2023.
Kasco had five accounts, and she presents documentation which attests to when the accounts were opened and when they were closed (if at all).
Timothy Zammit obo HSBC Bank Malta says that he was asked to provide information about MTrace’s banking relations with HSBC, and he says no such banking relations ever existed.
In the case of Kasco Engineering – that company had five accounts with HSBC, all of which were opened between 2004 and 2011. No Kasco bank accounts with HSBC remain open today.
Zammit presents all relevant documentation which HSBC has about these shuttered accounts.
10:53 | Banks, banks, banks…
Holly Wilson, compliance officer obo FimBank, says that the bank she represents did not have anything to do with Kasco or MTrace.
Danila Corrizzola obo Shift4 Bank also says the bank she represents did not have any professional relations with the two companies in question.
Elvin Tabone, money laundering reporting officer obo Lombard Bank, says that Lombard never banked Kasco or MTrace.
Serkan Kadir Kumbuzoğlu, money laundering reporting officer obo Türkiye Garanti Bankası, says the bank he represents did not have any banking relations with the two companies in question.
Rebecca Micallef, compliance manager obo APS Bank, says that neither company had any banking relations with APS.
10:47 | More bank representatives in the stand:
Yanika Fino obo Novum Bank says there was no professional relations between Novum and the two companies either.
Joshua Attard, legal officer obo BNF Bank, says that MTrace and Kasco Engineering did not have any banking relations with BNF.
Elaine Polidano, senior compliance officer obo FCM Bank, says that MTrace plc and Kasco Engineering did not have any relations with the bank she represents.
Charmaine Calleja obo Lidio Bank also says her bank has nothing to say about these two companies.
Omar Emer obo AK Bank (Malta) says they had nothing to do with MTrace and Kasco Engineering at any point in time.
Marsha Mamo obo Izola Bank confirms that there were no relations between Kasco and MTrace and the bank she represents.
10:39 | Five more witnesses, at a rate of one per minute:
Kyle Briffa obo ECCM Bank plc confirms that Kasco Engineering and MTrace plc never had any accounts at this bank, either.
Karl Vella obo IIG Bank says that his bank never had any accounts related to Kasco Engineering and MTrace plc.
Sarah Borg, anti-money laundering officer obo Sparkasse Bank also confirms that the bank she is representing does not have any documentation which attests to bank accounts in Kasco’s and MTrace’s name.
Martin Scerri, money laundering reporting officer obo MeDirect Bank says that MeDirect never had any professional relations with Kasco Engineering and MTrace, either.
Martha Albaran Martin, anti-money laundering officer obo Multitude Bank also confirms that the bank in question had no professional relations with Kasco Engineering and MTrace.
10:38 | Ali Efe Özkan, a money laundering reporting officer on behalf of Credit Europe Bank, is being asked as the third witness in today’s sitting to provide information about Kasco Engineering and MTrace plc, and he confirms that the bank he represents does not have any documentation to submit. He steps off the stand.
10:36 | Andrea Emanuel Zerafa, a financial crime analyist on behalf of Merkanti Bank, is the next witness in the stand. Zerafa is exempted from his professional secrecy obligations before testifying.
The witness confirms that they were summoned to court in relation to with Kasco Engineering and MTRACE plc. He confirms that neither company had any accounts with his bank and submits documents which testify to that. He steps off the stand.
10:34 | The first witness, Claudette Fenech representing the Malta Business Registry (MBR), was previously asked to provide documentation about Kasco Engineering Ltd (2013 – 2023), which she now presents in court – and steps off the witness stand.
10:32 | In-camera-decree for letters rogatory from foreign authorities: the AG filed a plea to be able to send these letters to foreign jurisdictions to ask for further information, and the magistrate decreed that the plea must be rewritten as they were not compliant with the format required.
The prosecution lists 22 witnesses for today’s sitting, most of whom are to be relatively short testimonies according to AG prosecutor Rebekah Spiteri.
The court asks the defendants whether they have any objections to this given that one of the accused (Codger-Thompson, former IT specialist for Steward Healthcare) was unavailable today due to illness.
Nobody objects and his lawyer is informed the client must present an official doctor’s certificate to attest to this.
10:26 | Magistrate Rachel Montebello is the courtroom and today’s sitting starts with the usual roll call.
10:07 | Everyone, including the defendants, is still waiting in the hallway. We asked at least two security guards and one court official to open up for us – but nobody has as of yet.
It’s quite surreal because subcontracted court security does not have access to the keys and there are no court marshals to be seen on the whole floor.
10:00 | Good Morning! Julian Delia is reporting live from Hall 22 about the first hearing in the compilation of evidence of the hospitals concession case.
Last month, magistrate Rachel Montebello, who is presiding over the case against disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat and his former associates and colleagues, decreed there is enough prima facie evidence for Muscat and co-accused to stand trial.
Today, we will be following closely as the next phase of this criminal case commences. Essentially, the main difference between the prima facie stage and the compilation of evidence stage is that the former serves to determine whether there is a case to answer for while the latter serves as the stage in which the evidence is fleshed out and examined in greater detail.
The compilation of evidence stage ends when the attorney general files a bill of indictment after all witnesses and relevant evidence have been heard.
