An Italian newspaper investigation claims that a villa in Gozo owned by Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo was once used as a hideout by notorious Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore “Toto” Riina, according to local residents and testimony from a former mafioso.According to MaltaToday, the report describes how the journalist first spotted Refalo at the property, unloading a large painting from a van. Refalo told the reporter he had purchased the villa about 25 years ago before he got married and declined to discuss its previous ownership, saying, “Mind your own business.”The journalist, Pino Maniaci, had received an anonymous letter describing a two‑storey house with a terrace and panoramic views that Riina had allegedly used while on the run. Local contacts told the reporter they had seen Riina in the area years ago and described him as polite. Neighbours eventually confirmed sightings of Riina near the villa.After identifying the villa, the investigative team cited a local source who said that Riina had also used a second house- now owned by a politician. Former mafioso Gaetano Grado, living under protection with a new identity, appeared on television to back the investigation.He recognised photos of both villas and pointed out nearby landmarks, describing the specific door through which he and Riina entered the hideout. Grado also hinted that Riina maintained investments on the island.Before his death in 2017, Riina was one of Sicily’s most violent Mafia bosses, nicknamed “The Beast” or “The Boss of Bosses.” He led the powerful Sicilian mob during the 1980s and 1990s and ordered a series of attacks, including 1993 bombings in Rome, Milan and Florence that killed 10 people. Two anti‑mafia judges were also killed under his command in 1992.Riina also ordered the murder of an informant’s 13‑year‑old son, who was strangled and dissolved in acid.This is not the first time Riina’s ties to Gozo have been suggested. In April 1993, the now‑defunct Radio One Live reported that Riina owned a farmhouse there, based on testimony from his driver, Baldassare di Maggio, given to Italian magistrates.The farmhouse was believed to be registered in the name of Riina’s wife, Ninetta Bagheria, though later research found no records of such a sale, leaving open the possibility that the property was bought through an intermediary.At the time, the Maltese parliament debated the claim, with then Home Affairs Minister Louis Galea urging MPs with information to come forward, though no conclusive evidence was presented.What do you make of this?•