Former Labour Party general secretary Jimmy Magro has been sentenced to four years, eight months in prison after being found guilty of corruption-related charges.
Magro was found guilty of trading in influence and corruption. His lawyers said they intend to appeal the decision. This would mean that the jail sentence would be suspended until an appeal would be decided.
Magro was accused of having solicited a €25,000 bribe in exchange for helping a bidder secure a €250,000 public contract for waste collection equipment in 2014. Magro was a special consultant to the Local Councils Association at the time.
The failed bidder refused to pay the money and subsequently filed multiple reports about the alleged bribery attempt, including meeting with then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. The bidder had previously told the court that Muscat told him “don’t come to me with these things”.
The matter was later taken up by the Permanent Commission Against Corruption, which in 2018 said it was “morally convinced” that Magro had solicited the bribe.
Despite this conclusion, criminal charges were only brought against Magro two years later.
Magro had served as general secretary of the Labour Party for 12 years until 2003.
The case was prosecuted by Police Inspector Wayne Rodney Borg.
Magro was represented by lawyers Michael Sciriha and Roberto Spiteri.