Secret UAE company linked to Electrogas director Apap Bologna

Kittiwake Limited, an offshore company opened in Ajman free zone, belongs to Electrogas director and investor Paul Apap Bologna, a report on Sunday revealed.

The Sunday Times of Malta revealed that the company which is identical to 17 Black – another offshore company owned by murder suspect and former Electrogas director Yorgen Fenech, is under investigation as part of a money laundering operation.

The local paper reported that the operation is investigating companies linked to 17 Black and the Panama companies once owned by disgraced former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.

Apap Bologna and Fenech were key partners in the gas-fired power station project which was Partit Laburista’s main election pledge in the 2013 manifesto and which has since been in the centre of corruption allegations.

The Sunday Times of Malta reviewed documents related to Apap Bologna’s company and reported that Kittiwake Limited was set up in July 2015, two months after Fenech set up 17 Black.

Both offshore companies had bank accounts in the United Arab Emirates.

The local newspaper revealed that Kittiwake transferred $200,000 to Wings Investment, 17 Black’s sister company, just days before slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia mentioned Fenech’s company for the first time.

Another transfer of $300,000 originating from EN3 Projects – another company of interest in the investigation, was made to Wings Investments before the Kittiwake transfer.

Fenech had told Noor Bank that he was involved in a project with EN3 in Qatar and Bangladesh, in which Apap Bologna was also involved.

Apap Bologna who faced the board of inquiry and testified in the public inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, had told the board that Fenech’s involvement in the power station project in 2007 was a result of “misdrafting” of which he only became aware in 2020.

During the sitting, Apap Bologna claimed that the agreement between GEM and New Energy Supply, the latter which is fully owned by murder suspect Yorgen Fenech stated that the two companies worked together on developing the project in 2007, was erroneously dated as he only got Fenech involved in January 2013.

In a separate sitting, Apap Bologna had said that he only became aware of 17 Black when it was outed in the media, and described it as a “media accusation”. Apap Bologna testified under oath that the board had asked Fenech about the secret company’s ownership but the latter failed to reply.

“I never asked Yorgen why he had resigned” – Paul Apap Bologna

Apap Bologna had first pitched the project to former PN minister John Dalli in 2008, according to a letter published by the Times of Malta.

Apap Bologna had replaced Fenech when the latter was arrested and charged with the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Corruption in Electrogas deals is undeniable; Contracts must be rescinded – The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation said the corruption in Electrogas deals is “undeniable and indefensible” in a statement on Sunday, as it called on Siemens (a partner in the project) and the government and opposition to commit themselves to rescinding the contract.

It pointed out how Apap Bologna had received a large “success fee” when the government awarded the tender to the consortium.

The foundation had written to Siemens AG asking the company to sue for the contracts to be rescinded on the basis that they were procured by “flagrant and undeniable corruption.”

“Daphne paid with her life to reveal the corruption behind the deals,” the foundation stated.

“Today we reiterate our call to Siemens and also call on the Government of Malta and the

Opposition to commit to scrapping the Electrogas deals. Our leaders must stand for the public interest instead of the private interest of the criminals who profit off us all.”