Matthew Vella No criminal offence has been determined so far in police investigations concerning the allegations by former Nationalist MP Frank Portelli, on kickbacks and commissions paid on Mater Dei Hospital.
A police spokesperson confirmed that the former director of contracts Joseph Spiteri, and construction magnate Charles Polidano, had been interrogated by the police on the matter.
“The investigations did not reveal any criminal offence so far,” the spokesperson said.
Frank Portelli, the director of St Philip’s Hospital, claimed back in 2007 that ‘commissions’ were paid during the construction of Mater Dei Hospital.
Portelli had claimed that “people on a salary were buying summer residences worth Lm150,000”.
Among the evidence he gave to criminal investigators was a contract made in 2002 between Polidano Brothers Limited and Joseph Spiteri, for the fourth floor airspace and accompanying garage in an apartment block in St Paul’s Bay for Lm14,200 (€36,200).
The matter was taken up by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who asked the police to investigate Portelli’s investigation. Portelli was then called in for questioning by police in which he reiterated that various commissions were paid, and that Mater Dei’s final cost ended up 20-30% higher than it should cost.
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