Updated: Dalli, Zammit questioned at length at police headquarters

Former Health Commissioner John Dalli and businessman Silvio Zammit have been questioned at length at the police headquarters. Mr Dalli was called for questioning at headquarters yesterday and was there up till this evening Mr Zammit was also at headquarters overnight and he was seen being driven out early this evening.  Mr Dalli left some time later. They are believed to have been questioned as part of local investigations which stemmed from a report by OLAF, the EU anti-fraud office.  OLAF had claimed that Mr Zammit sought a bribe from a Swedish tobacco company to influence change to the EU tobacco directive, and there was clear circumstantial evidence that Mr Dalli was aware of these activities. Mr Dalli had always denied the claims. Mr Dalli resigned from the European Commission on October 16.  He has since insisted that he was not given the opportunity to react to the findings of the investigation before it was concluded. The police questioning involved the most senior police officers including Commissioner John Rizzo.