Muscat’s defence lawyers were among those invited to Barbados

The Shift has learnt that Etienne Borg Ferranti, a chef who became a lawyer, and Labour’s go-to lawyer Charlon Gouder, were among those who travelled to Barbados for a wedding anniversary bash organised on the Caribbean island by disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat and his wife, Michelle.

The group also consisted of a number of business people who usually try to keep a low profile on connections with the former prime minister, who is now facing several criminal charges of money laundering, corruption and bribery.

Contrary to speculation in the media, the Muscats did not pay for the trip for the guests. They just forked out the cost of some meals.

Some of these businessmen who spoke to The Shift on condition of anonymity divulged that the Barbados wedding bash was organised by Muscat’s wife, Michelle, months before her husband was arraigned in court, on criminal charges.

“All was planned way before Muscat was arraigned, and we had already made all the arrangements and paid thousands to fly our families to Barbados by then,” one of those attending said.

“While acknowledging that the Barbados trip might be interpreted by many as some solidarity with the Muscats, this was not the case. We never imagined he would be arraigned,” another said.

Speculation on this trip made the rounds in the media during the summer as it happened just a few weeks after Muscat had to start defending himself in court over a raft of crimes, which could see him spending years behind bars.

The Shift is informed that the guests attending Muscat’s wedding anniversary included Etienne Borg Ferranti and his wife, a chef and owner of the former Etienne Kitchen and Yacht Lounge in Birgu, who has recently become a criminal lawyer.

Borg Ferranti, who was accompanied by his wife Daniela, is now also part of the defence team of the disgraced former prime minister.

Another chef, Charles Gherxi of l-Agape Restaurant of Rabat, was also among Muscat’s group in Barbados together with Pierre Mattocks, the chairman of  Apple Core Foods Ltd, a company specialising in food imports.

Stanley Mifsud, now the CEO of Mattock’s business, who also spent years working as a top-paid government consultant when Muscat was prime minister, also flew to Muscat’s party together with the Izzo couple, Diane and Karl, of fashion retailer Dizz Group.

When Muscat was prime minister, Karl Izzo was appointed Malta’s ambassador for Montenegro, a prestigious position he still holds under the Abela administration.

Izzo is a water polo coach and has never worked in diplomacy. The appointment occurred when the Muscat administration was working on the corrupt Montenegro wind farm deal.

Robert Micallef, the managing director of the Office Group, Malta’s agent for international giants Konika Minolta, was also among Muscat’s invitees, together with his wife.

Micallef, former president of the Santa Lucija Football Club, was instrumental in Muscat’s appointment as president of the premier league football clubs association and lobbied tirelessly for his election despite the opposition of several high-profile football clubs.

The court has imposed a freezing order of €30 million on Muscat following his arraignment. He was not charged under arrest. This helped him avoid bail and having his passport withheld despite the serious charges brought against him.

Usually, the police commissioner and the attorney general charge those with similar crimes as Muscat through an arrest warrant.