Robert Hornyold-Strickland, in-neputi tal-fundatriċi tat-Times, Mabel Strickland tkellem dwar ir-rabtiet kbar li jeżistu bejn id-deputat Nazzjonalista Mario De Marco u l-eks Direttur Maniġerjali tal-Allied Newspapers Adrian Hillman, illum fl-iżbarra jaffaċċja akkużi kriminali ta’ frodi u ħasil ta’ flus.
Strickland, li għandu sehem ta’ tlettax fil-mija fl-Allied Newspapers, saħaq f’intervista esklussiva ma’ ONE News, li Hillman u De Marco ilhom ħbieb.
Saħaq li riżultat tar-rabta bejn il-familja De Marco u Hillman, dan tal-aħħar spiċċa fuq il-bord tad-diretturi tal-Allied biex minn hemm Hillman kompla javvanza u laħaq Direttur Maniġerjali.
Strickland, li meta feġġew l-allegazzjonijiet ta’ frodi, fosthom possibilment mal-ħames miljun u nofs ewro, kien saħaq li zitu aktarx qed titqalleb fil-qabar, saħaq li Mario De Marco għandu jġorr ir-responsabiltà bħala wieħed mill-membri tal-Kunsill tal-Fondazzjoni Strickland, ix-shareholder ewlieni ta’ Allied Newspapers, tat-Times.
Ma’ ONE News, in-neputi ta’ Mabel saħaq li t-Times, b’reputazzjoni ta’ gazzetta indipendenti, għandha ma’ saqajha politikant li daħħal lil sħabu fit-Times.
“I’m also concerned of course that she was trying to keep it independent but here on the board there is a serving Nationalist Minister or Shadow Minister now. There’s a political exposed person. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the foundation and obviously he has had many years, along his father to put in their own friends” qal Hornyold Strickland
Strickland spjega dak li sejjaħ bħala kontroll enormi li għandu d-Deputat Nazzjonalista, fit-Times.
Il-ġurnalist stqasa, “so is it true that De Marco hold enormous control at The Times?”
Strickland saħaq, “Indirectly yes. No question. He is one of the five Council members of the Strickland Foundation. He is the key Council member, in my opinion the others do as what they’re told. He is also the legal adviser of the company, which gives him a nice salary. His employee Clinton Calleja is also the company secretary of the company. He is the Chief Legal Officer internally. There’s an enormous control. As a legal adviser you’re involved in anything of the board ask you to give advice on which will be any capital purchases, any sales of assets. Strickland House was sold, Canberra House was sold. Any purchase of machinery such as this.”
Robert Hornyold-Strickland żied jgħid li jekk dawn l-allegazzjonijiet serji jiġu provati, De Marco għandu jirriżenja għaliex kien hu primarjament li ħatar fost oħrajn lil Hillman bħala Direttur Maniġerjali tal-kumpanija tat-Times.
Hillman ġie estradit lejn Malta u fl-ewwel seduta tal-kumpilazzjoni fil-Qorti, il-Maġistrat Donatella Frendo Dimech poġġietu taħt att t’akkuża wara li ntqal li tressqu biżżejjed provi kontrih.
Fil-Qorti ntqal li allegatament Hillman ħa b’mod sigriet mal-miljun ewro fi flus, possibilment fuq negozju dwar magna tal-istampar.
