Schembri ‘cannot remember’ giving consent to open Panama company

He “cannot remember” authorising Nexia BT to open a Panama company, Keith Schembri claimed before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday.

Schembri was giving evidence in his second appearance before a PAC examining the Auditor General’s report into the Electrogas contracts.

The ex-chief of staff of former prime minister Joseph Muscat gave inconsistent testimony when asked about his secret offshore company Tillgate Inc.

This company was set to receive money from a company owned by Electrogas shareholder and alleged Daphne murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech.

Schembri initially told the MPs that he never authorised auditing firm Nexia BT to open the offshore company.

After being asked how he authorised the opening of a bank account for the company he never authorised, Keith Schembri changed his version.

He then claimed he “cannot remember” giving authorisation for opening the company, and that he “did not know Panama was a tax haven”.

Schembri said his money was going to go to New Zealand, where he had authorised Nexia BT to open a trust for him, and not Panama.

‘Coincidences and lies’

Keith Schembri said it was a “coincidence” that the Panama company was opened at the same time as former Minister Konrad Mizzi’s company.

Questioned how Konrad Mizzi had the same target companies as Schembri, he replied “Ask him”.

Schembri denied intervening in 2018 to stop the police from questioning Yorgen Fenech on his offshore company 17 Black.

He said there were “lots of lies told during the public inquiry”, and that there was no “kitchen cabinet” as ex-finance minister Edward Scicluna said in the inquiry.