Police get confession and denial in oil case

Former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone was in cahoots with his adviser Frank Sammut in taking commissions from oil purchases, a court heard yesterday. But while Mr Sammut told the police that the pair received kickbacks from international commodity giant Trafigura, Mr Tabone flatly denied he was involved in the alleged corruption. A court yesterday started to hear evidence in the case against Mr Tabone, who stands charged with bribery, corruption and money laundering during his time as chairman of the energy corporation between 2000 and 2005. Mr Sammut is facing similar charges in separate proceedings. Both have pleaded not guilty. Mr Sammut, a former chemistry teacher at De La Salle College, was CEO of Mediterranean Offshore Bunkering Company (MOBC) before being appointed to Enemalta’s oil procurement committee as an adviser to Mr Tabone in 2004. Another two businessmen, Cassar Ship Repair chairman Tony Cassar and Francis Portelli, a director of Virtu Ferries Limited, have been charged and are pleading not guilty to bribing Mr Tabone and Mr Sammut. Following a request by the Attorney General for a review of the bail conditions given to Mr Tabone and Mr Sammut, their deposit of...