Monsignors from St John’s Chapter and some prominent people suffered the indignity of being body-checked by police officers in an investigation that was blown out of proportion during a St John’s Foundation meeting on Friday week.

It all began when the policeman acting as bodyguard for Richard Cachia Caruana, one of the members of the foundation’s board, asked to use the bathroom. He was not one of Mr Cachia Caruana’s usual bodyguards, and perhaps he did not know he was not supposed to go inside.

Anyway, while in the bathroom, he forgot his wallet and, when he came out, realised he had forgotten it and went back for it. But he did not find it and he reported the matter.

The sacristan was sent for but he did not find it either. The police were informed and, according to well-informed sources, “went ballistic”.

They quickly went on site and began to order all the restorers to submit to a body-check. These, Italians and Maltese, were completely shocked and the Italian restorers threatened to leave Malta there and then.

It was at this point that first the foundation’s curator, Cynthia de Giorgio, and later the other members of the board, offered to submit to the police inspection as well, in solidarity with the restorers. Even Mr Cachia Caruana offered, and submitted to the search.

The wallet, meanwhile, was not found.

The episode left a very bitter taste for all involved and shocked some people to the core.