Sammut's commission reached 75c per tonne of oil sold to Enemalta

The commission paid by oil trading company Trafigura to Frank Sammut reached 70c per tonne of oil sold to Enemalta, a court was told this afternoon. The information was given during the compilation of evidence in the case instituted by the police against Mr Sammut, one of the persons who allegedly received illegal commissions on Enemalta oil procurement contracts. Mr Sammut is the former CEO of MOBC, Enemalta's oil bunkering company, and was also consultant to chairman Tancred Tabone between 2003 and 2005, when the commissions were allegedly received. Mr Tabone is facing similar charges. Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar testified that Mr Sammut was paid a fixed amount per metric ton of oil, amounting 75 cents per tonne. When Malta joined the EU, Enemalta decided to buy better quality oil and a new system was introduced whereby tenders were issued for oil procurement.  The board of directors had approved Mr Sammut, a peto-chemist, as a consultant to Mr Tabone and he was to be paid Lm8,000 a year. His role was to give advice on the running of the petroleum division Mr Cassar repeated evidence given in the case against Mr Tabone, about how minister Austin Gatt had told Mr Tabone...