Tal-lira clock given to former minister was paid by Powerplan Ltd

The tal-lira clock given to former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech had been paid for by Powerplan Ltd and had cost some Lm500, a court heard today. Testifying in the case instituted by Mr Fenech against ministers Chris Cardona and Evarist Bartolo, George Farrugia, who is at the heart of the oil procurement commissions scandal and then Powerplan CEO, said he knew the former minister through the political scene and had met him once. The clock, he said, had been made by his sister-in-law who was at the time learning the craft. Mr Fenech had lodged a criminal complaint about a press conference given by Mr Bartolo and Dr Cardona on February 21 during which it had been claimed  that he had been given €5,000. This later turned out to be the clock. The allegation was repeated a number of times. Former Police Commissioner John Rizzo told the court that Mr Fenech had called him and said he wanted to speak to him. This was at the time when he was investigating the oil procurement scandal. Mr Rizzo said he asked the minister to go to his office and they discussed the allegations. The former minister explained the circumstances in which he had been given the clock. Mr Farrugia had already...