The police seem to be leaning towards Melvin Theuma’s injuries as being an attempted suicide. Despite the details released by Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa, many alternative theories are making the rounds in the general public, especially given the wounds Theuma suffered.

He was found knife in hand, throat slashed, wrist cut and wounds beneath his right-side ribs. This sounds to be quite a brutal way to take one’s own life, and thus many are questioning the truth behind this being an attempted suicide attempt.

One theory is that it was attempted homicide, another is that this was more of a warning, given that reports now read that his vocal chords were cut, yet another theory is that he took such action due to possible outside threats to any of his loved ones.

These are of course all just theories at this stage, but the fact that these theories are being strongly shared out in the public sphere shows just how low the police themselves are trusted.

It is because of this reason, that perhaps the police need to go over and above their normal practice and, despite them saying that indications are it was an attempted suicide, should take all the necessary steps to ensure without a shadow of a doubt that there was no foul play.

Now the police highlight that the investigations are ongoing, and one hopes that, despite their treatment of the case as an attempted suicide, they would be checking all other possibilities as well. After all, Melvin Theuma is the state’s witness in Malta’s most infamous assassination case, in which very powerful people have been implicated.

At the same time doubts have been cast over the ability of the police to do their duty.

In such a high-profile case, where Theuma showed signs of being worried and scared during court proceedings, was his psychological situation taken into consideration when it came to his protection? Did an evaluation take place?

It is because of the inadequate actions of the police over the past years that so many questions and doubts are emerging.

The Force is operating without any room for error. If the Force is seen as weak or inadequate, criminality will thrive. If the Force is seen as incompetent, the same will occur. Keeping such an important witness safe and also in a good state of mind fell on the Force.

If the investigation in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia falters because of this incident, that could spell the final nail in the coffin for trust in the authorities in the country.

Due to the lack of trust in the Force right now, the police must be seen to be both completely transparent and show that there cannot be even the slightest whiff of doubt in their statements or decisions.