Malta Labour Party MP Anthony Zammit was bound and beaten yesterday when robbers forced their way into his Zebbug home early in the morning.

A police officer was doing the rounds near St Philip Square at about 4.45am when he was stopped by locals and informed that three robbers had just fled from Prof. Zammit’s home. He went to the residence and found Prof. Zammit bound and having sustained slight injuries. The officer tried to give chase, but to no avail.

The policeman spoke to Prof. Zammit who told him that three masked and armed men lay in wait at his front door as he returned from his clinic and forced him back inside before tying him up, threatening and beating him. It is understood that the robbers improvised and used objects found in the house to subdue Prof. Zammit.

The robbers, one of whom had a pistol in hand, ransacked the house, stole cash and other valuables before fleeing on foot. It is understood that a getaway vehicle, a Kia, was found near the scene but the robbers could not get it started. The vehicle was reported stolen last week.

Prof. Zammit’s political career took off after he led the surgical team that operated on former MLP leader Alfred Sant in the run-up to the last general election. He was returned to parliament for the first time in March from the seventh district. He is 54 years old and is the MLP’s spokesman for civil society and minority rights.

Duty magistrate Silvio Meli appointed a number of court experts to draw up an inquiry. The police are also investigating and are known to have lifted CCTV footage from a private residence nearby to examine it in the hope of making a positive identification of the suspects.

In a statement, the Malta Medical Association expressed support and solidarity with Prof. Zammit and said it hoped police investigations would lead to the perpetrators being brought to justice.

The Nationalist Party and the MLP also expressed its solidarity with the Labour MP.