Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil highlighted a number of recent cases in Malta where the police appeared to be acting in favour of the government instead of the public. He alleged that the government has seen four police commissioners come and go, until settling on this fifth one because it waited until it managed a commissioner that would work with the government.
Dr Busuttil was speaking at a political event this evening, where he revealed that the PN has approved close to 90 candidates for the upcoming general election.
“I feel that people are not comfortable with security in Malta. People’s minds are not at rest that their security is being safeguarded,” he said.
He made reference to a social media post by a local man who relayed his story about being at the Point in Sliema, accompanied with his wife and son, and some other adults and children. He allegedly noticed a foreign man taking a photo of their son, and then a foreign woman with the man had allegedly asked the child for directions to the bathroom, when the adults were distracted, and asked the child to accompany them.
The parents intervened, but Dr Busuttil said that this story being shared thousands of times is proof that people have called security into question.
He then made reference to the petty crimes which take place in Sliema in particular, and the number of car bombs, where the culprits are dubiously never found.
“Are we going to continue in this way?” Dr Busuttil questioned.
Turning to a drug bust in Gozo, he described the story where it transpired that a woman found with nine packets of heroin was allowed to change her statement after a meeting took place with the police and other unknown indiciduals.
“Somebody gets caught trafficking drugs. Instead of taking action against that person, the police decides not to take action against them. Worse than that, there was involvement by two government officials. Instead of intervening so that the authorities take action, the politicians interfered so that no action is taken,”
Dr Busuttil slammed the Prime Minister for appointing an ex Labour Party candidate to carry out an investigation into the matter, calling the credibility of the ex PL candidate into question due to the likely favour he may curry with the governing party.
“When it comes to allegations about the PN, he [the Prime Minister] appoints three judges,” said Dr Busuttil, referring to the three judges appointed to investigate allegations that the Malta Police Force had halted an investigation into money laundering by a Dutch man when deputy PN Leader Beppe Fenech Adami’s came into the story.
Dr Fenech Adami was appointed as a non-executive director in the company called into question in connection with money laundering through drug trafficking money, as part of fiduciary services rendered as a lawyer.
“Are the police force there to protect us [the public] or to protect the government?”
He said that under the present Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajjar, the direction of the police force completely changed in favour of the government. The fact that there have been five police commissioners throughout the PL’s tenure in government was stressed, alleging that the government had changed commissioners until it found one that would work in favour of the government.
Dr Busuttil then turned to the infamous case of disgraced ex health and energy minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri being found with secret companies in Panama, where the police failed to be investigate, "when they were supposed to".
He highlighted how, in Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri’s own words, they had planned to populate bank accounts that failed to come to fruition in order to deposit “commissions”.
Dr Mizzi says that as part of the fiduciary services provided to him, Nexia BT had inquired about opening up bank accounts without Dr Mizzi having asked to do so. Why Nexia BT has not been investigated for inquiring the opening up of a bank account of PEPs has not been addressed.
“The case of political interference with the drugs case in Gozo and the Panama affair painfully highlights the need for an efficient, independent, effective and honest police force.”
OPM reaction
The Opposition Leader is embarking on a mud-slinging campaign, and irresponsibly said that the Prime Minister defends drug traffickers, the OPM said in reaction.
"The Prime Minister will not fall to this level of politics, where hate prevails over rational politics where adversaries discuss ideas."
“It's a shame that instead of setting an example for decent politics, the PN Leader is contributing to drop politics to the lowest possible level."
"The Prime Minister will keep leading with facts, and through example."
PL reaction
The PL said that Dr Busuttil is false, willing to stay on anonymous letters on others, yet is not ready to take action against PN Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami over the CapitalOne case.
“He also irresponsibly, and falling to the lowest level, said that the Prime Minister defends those who deal in drug trafficking.”