Following the suicide of three people in the space of a few months at the Floriana lock-up and the Mount Carmel Prison Ward, a doctor's certificate shows that there was another fourth attempt on 5 January, but the person involved survived.

Questions on the matter have been sent to the Police for clarification, but as yet, although the query was acknowledged, no replies have been received.

Blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia claimed on her blog today that she was approached by someone who deals with such matters directly in the course of his work. The person who made an attempt on his own life a day before he was due to be charged in court is claimed to be a Libyan national. The source told the blogger that the Libyan was due to face drug related charges, but decided to try and end it all by slitting his wrists.

The blogger later uploaded a medical report showing that Fahid Najjim was taken to Mount Carmel Hospital on the doctor’s instructions on 5 January and may probably still being kept in the Forensic Ward there. The report states that the man had lacerations on his wrisits and was suicidal and should be kept under supervision.

He is alleged to have told those who came to his aid that he "wanted to die because he felt trapped and claustrophobic and because a police inspector had told him that he would be kept in prison for 12 years for his crimes."

The person who contacted Mrs Caruana Galizia said: "Two actual suicides and one attempted suicide in the Police HQ lock-up in just a few weeks" - the third suicide was at the prison section of Mount Carmel Hospital - "is a matter of grave concern. Something is obviously going on. Maybe the prisoners are being verbally abused and driven to suicide at the lowest point of their lives. Or maybe they're not being supervised properly when they are prone to depression in their situation and not being kept in suitably safe cells."

2 October 2015

A Maltese man, 39 of Zejtun, has hanged himself using a bedsheet inside the Floriana depot lock-up. He had been arrested in a drug bust.

During the 3am police checks of the lock-up cells, officers discovered one of the detainees with a bedsheet around his neck, which was tied to the bars of his cell. The man was immediately given first aid and an ambulance was called. Paramedics began CPR. The man was however certified dead in hospital, one hour later.

27 December 2015

A 36-year-old German man who had been living in Malta for three months hung himself. 
The German's lifeless body was found in one of the cells at the police lock-up at around 10:40pm during a routine check by a policeman on duty. Efforts to give the man first aid proved futile, and he was certified dead moments later.

9 January 2016

A 45-year-old Englishman who was being held under arrest at Mount Carmel committed suicide. Hospital staff at the forensic unit raised the alarm at around 5.30am. He was arrested for drug-related offences. He is understood to have hung himself. He was on suicide watch, yet he still managed to take his own life.

The fallout

The deaths piled the pressure on Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela, Shadow minister Beppe Fenech Adami had earlier said Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela must shoulder responsibility for these three deaths in three months.

"No democratic country accepts the death of three persons under arrest in three months. And no democratic country allows the responsible minister to stay on," he said. Abela must shoulder responsibility for accountability's and credibility's sake. The public has now realised that, behind the façade of sweet words, lies an incompetent minister who has lost all control," the PN deputy leader added.

Police chief calls for more CCTV

Asked what could be done to prevent suicides in prison, or in holding cells, following the death of the German, Police Chief Michael Cassar said: "The procedures at the lock-up are fully compliant with the United Nations Commission for the Prevention of Torture."

Mr Cassar said that many things had already been changed including the regularity of cell inspection. The German been checked 15 minutes before he was found dead.

The Police Commissioner said he was now considering installing cameras in the actual cells.

"Although the lock-up is not a place one goes to enjoy himself, people's dignity and privacy still have to be respected. But if cameras in cells can save lives, I am considering them."

He noted that the police were already quite meticulous and rigorous when it came to checking people at the lock up.

However, there could still be incidents where people harmed themselves in spite of the cameras.