Former police Inspector Daniel Zammit has denied dragging his feet in the investigation into Neville Baldacchino’s 2008 murder.

An inquiry led by retired Judge Michael Mallia concluded that Mr Zammit could have stalled the compilation of evidence by his request to swab Romina Gaffarena so that the findings could be compared with tissue samples from the scene of the crime.

The request was opposed by the defence in January 2010, and it was only in May 2013 that the court referred the matter to a constitutional court, with the matter remaining pending right to this day.
“[The request] practically serves for nothing but an excuse so that nothing happens before the Magistrates Court and the case just drags on,” Judge Mallia said.

Mr Zammit denied this, saying the request for the swabs came from the Attorney General’s office, and it is “factually incorrect” to state the request was filed frivolously in order to delay the case.

Mr Zammit said he would have failed in his duty had he not presented this evidence and gone against the Attorney General’s wishes.

He lamented that the inquiry report failed to mention his many years of dedicated work and the numerous cases he solved.

The inquiry also flagged Mr Zammit’s unethical behaviour for having gone into business with the “dubious” character Hugo Chetcuti.

Mr Zammit said the company in question was non-trading.