[LIVE] Fearne, Scicluna back in court as Vitals proceedings continue
Fearne, Scicluna and 13 others are contesting the criminal charges against them in connection with the fraudulent Vitals Global Healthcare hospitals’ deal
![[LIVE] Fearne, Scicluna back in court as Vitals proceedings continue](https://europe.easybranches.com/uploads/news/2024/07/6582258.jpg)
Former deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and former Finance Minister Edward Scicluna are back in court today, as the compilation of evidence against them continues.
Fearne, Scicluna and 13 others are contesting the criminal charges against them in connection with the fraudulent Vitals Global Healthcare hospitals’ deal.
Last week, Cabinet secretary Ryan Spagnol had testified and confirmed a Cabinet decision taken on 1 October, 2019, in which then-finance minister Edward Scicluna had clarified that no additional payments be made to Steward Healthcare without express Cabinet approval.
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"Did you distinguish between DF Advocates and DF Consultancy Services Ltd?" Debono asks. "I didn't mention DF Advocates today," Frendo replies. "If I suggest that the files had 'DF Advocates' written on them?" Debono asks. The witness reiterates that the searches were for DF Consultancy Ltd, adding that he hadn’t seen the seizure forms to confirm what had been seized.
Prosecutor Giancarlo Refalo points out that the witness had been carrying out the orders of the inquiring magistrate and that therefore this line of questioning was superfluous. Matthew Farrugia
On the client privilege issue, Frendo replied: “The magistrate issued a warrant and the police have to carry it out.”
He confirmed that he had explained to Deguara that the police were assisting in a magisterial inquiry, at the time.
There may have been some communication with the magistrate during the search, to clarify questions about client privilege, said the witness in reply to another question. Matthew Farrugia
Frendo: it was a search warrant. If they were suspects at the time they would have been arrested. Matthew Farrugia
Witness: I had been in ECU at the time and had been assigned to carry out searches at DF Advocates offices and lawyer Jean Carl Farrugia.
Debono corrects the witness, telling him Farrugia was not mentioned in the warrant. The witness reads from the warrant which states that Farrugia’s residence was also to be searched.
Debono: but in his capacity as DF director…..You do know the distinction between juridical and physical persons right?
Farrugia had been abroad at the time, said the witness when asked whether he was spoken to.
A separate team was searching Kevin Deguara’s residence at the same time, he told the lawyer, who suggested that Deguara was not mentioned in the warrant. The witness replied that he was not briefed on the other searches.
Matthew Farrugia