GETTY Visas meant for injured children in Libya have been sold according to a whistleblower in Malta

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A police investigation was sparked when messages between a health minister and a “middle man” were leaked to the media - revealing the minister was apparently involved in the sale of visas which should have been given to sick children. Earlier this month Maltese minister Neville Gafa, a staff member in the office of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, was accused of taking advantage of the agreement between Libya and Malta which sees the latter take a certain amount of children injured in hostilities into its country for treatment. Mr Gafa was allegedly netting up to €150,000 a month, and splashing the cash on flash cars, after selling the visas to those who sought to enter Europe. A Libyan said the visas allowed his countrymen entry to Malta initially, and then travel throughout the Union as a result of Malta’s Schengen membership. The apparent scam has fallen through however, with many fronting the cash - and failing to receive the visa.

GETTY Libyan migrants are desperate to get into Europe with many paying illegal smugglers

Messages between Mr Gafa and a Libyan national were leaked to the Malta Independent - but police said there is not enough evidence to open a case against the minister. In the messages, through the app Viber, middleman Khaled Ben Nasan is seen to hound Mr Gafa for the funds to be returned to the applicants over the first three months of the year. Mr Nasan pleads for the return of the €38,000 in visa 'fees' since early January of this year, claims that are never denied by Mr Gafà. Mr Gafà never questions or denies Mr Nasan's claims throughout the messages, where he pleads for reimbursement for the Libyan nationals who did not receive their visas. He continually postpones various requested meetings. Now, in a new shock twist, the Nationalist Party of Malta has revealed the investigation into Mr Gafa has already closed.

GETTY The visas have been sold to Libyan who can then access the rest of Europe via the Schengen zone

After what was revealed, the police should open a serious investigation into Neville Gafa Beppe Adami

Deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami called it “near-fascist” tactics after it was found the minster had done “nothing wrong”. He said: “After the story published in the Malta Independent, it now seems that the police investigation was a farce, and was done to close the chapter and ensure no damage was done to government. “After what was revealed, the police should open a serious investigation into Neville Gafa.” Dr Adami dropped a second bombshell - revealing police asked the Attorney General if charges can be brought against the whistleblower. Such a move, he claims, would push away anyone from considering revealing potentially criminal situations in the future.

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He said: "We ask the AG not to succumb to pressure. The AG has the power, by law, to protect those uncovering corruption, as he did during the energy theft scandal. "Neville Gafa is close to the Prime Minister, close to Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. Because he is close to them, instead of investigation resulting in steps against those behind this corruption, steps are being taken to discredit the story and turn the cannons on the whistleblower.” A furious Dr Adami labelled the police commissioner a “puppet” and said he was close to the Labour Party. MP Claudette Buttigieg criticised the prime minister for failing to condemn the situation which she called “just plain wrong”.

GETTY Many Libyans have risked their lives after crossing the sea in cramped dinghies