Updated - PN: Minister Manuel Mallia belied by his own words

Updated - Minister replies - The Nationalist Party said today that Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia was being belied by his own words about the oil procurement scandal. It  published comments made by Dr Mallia during the electoral campaign when he said that he did not know about the oil procurement scandal before reading about it in the newspapers. On Monday, oil trader George Farrugia said Dr Mallia had known since 2010.  In a pre-election press conference Dr Mallia had said: “And I repeat before the people of Malta and Gozo and before you journalists who can ask whatever questions you like. I knew nothing before reading about it in the newspaper.” Later he said: “I did not know that there was bribery in oil procurement. I was probably in the same situation as you, a Maltese citizen who imagined that oil procurement was made in a regular manner.” The PN noted that Mr Farrugia said in sworn testimony before the Public Accounts Committee on Monday that Dr Mallia had known of corruption in oil procurement to the extent that he threatened to report him unless he reached a settlement on John’s Garage. Mr Farrugia was at the time in dispute with the rest of his family, who were...