OLAF report in court but to remain sealed for the moment

The much awaited report by the EU anti fraud office OLAF is in the Maltese courts sealed in a magistrate's chambers where it will remain for the moment as the prosecution in the case against Silvio Zammit asked for another deferral. This is the second time the prosecution asked for a deferral following a request for the magistrate to reconsider his decision ordering the prosecution to present the report. Mr Zammit who is the former canvasser for John Dalli stands charged with soliciting a €60 million bribe to influence tobacco legislation under the portfolio of former European Commissioner Dalli. In the last week’s hearing, Magistrate Anthony Vella ordered the prosecution to present the document following a request from Mr Zammit’s defence lawyers, Kris Busietta and Edward Gatt, who argued that the lack of access to the report was prejudicial to their client’s case. The police, which had been planning to arraign Mr Dalli before he was taken ill at a Brussels hospital late in December, resisted presenting the document but Magistrate Vella accepted the defence argument. The police then filed an application to have that decision reconsidered.