ATTORNEY GENERAL AND POLICE INTENTIONALLY AND DELIBERATELY LET THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS RUN OUT ON TWO CHARGES AGAINST MONEY LAUNDERING PILATUS BANK

The Statute of Limitations on two of the principal charges that senior Pilatus Bank officials were facing has lapsed, according to legal professionals in the Republic of Malta that are familiar with the case. Lawyers have accused the Attorney General and the Malta Police of intentionally, maliciously and deliberately allowing the clock to run out, making those criminal charges against Pilatus officers & directors time-barred, and as a result, there have been repeated calls for the resignation of the Police Commissioner for official misconduct.

The two charges are:

(1) Making a False Declaration.

(2) Criminal Association.

Both of the above, which have only a two-year period in which such charges must be filed, were to be filed against ALI SADR HASHEMINEJAD, HAMID GHANBARI, MEHMET TASLI, LUIS RIVERA, and ANTONIELLA GAUCI. Although the assigned magistrate ordered arrest warrants against all these individuals in 2011, there has been no action taken by Maltese law enforcement. The bank has been linked to former Malta Prime Minister, JOSEPH MUSCAT, who maintained accounts there, where he allegedly received bribes and kickbacks whilst in office.

Joseph Muscat by COSIMO

 It is not known what the response will be, once the fact that Malta allowed the Statute to run against Pilatus, become known to the Members of the European Union. The European Central Bank revoked Pilatus' charter in 2018.