Former Enemalta chairman denies misuse of public funds

Former Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter appeared in court today charged with misappropriating public funds through the use of the corporation's credit card abroad. Mr Tranter, 51, from Swieqi, who pleaded "definitely not guilty", is charged with misuse of funds when he was chairman of the State energy provider in 2007 and 2008. He was chairman between 2005 and 2010. Defence lawyer Joe Giglio, however, hit out at the prosecution's thesis that expenses not accompanied by receipts automatically resulted in misappropriation of funds, without delving into how the funds were spent and on what. Police Inspector Jonathan Ferris said investigations revealed that Mr Tranter spent €529 on a mobile phone, withdrew £200 from Gatwick airport when he was not on the corporation's official travel list and spent Lm1035 on October 27, 2007 that was not backed by a receipt. Mr Ferris said that with regard to a trip to London in 2010, Mr Tranter's personal assistant Bronia Mercieca asked whether she could accompany the delegation. Mr Tranter accepted, as long as she paid her expenses. Two other members of the delegation stayed in the Holiday Inn Hotel while Mr Tranter and Ms Mercieca stayed in two...