The timing and execution of the investigation into Engerer junior and Engerer senior have raised eyebrows, no matter what explanations have been given.

The fact that the police sat on an investigation for 18 months, only to then ramp up pressure and issue charges 10 days after Cyrus Engerer crossed over to the Labour Party, quite frankly, does not inspire any confidence in the Police Corps. Equally, the fact that Chris Engerer was targeted does not do any favours to the investigating team.

But all must be said, and it is also clear that in his first dealings with the media, Cyrus was economical with the truth, especially in regard to the timeline of the case. While all matters need to be examined according to law, it is also abundantly clear that he was being investigated – and knew of it – before his decision to switch to the PL.

But perhaps what is most worrying in the whole story was the phone call made by the Prime Minister’s Head of Secretariat, Edgar Galea Curmi to Police Commissioner John Rizzo. The whole issue must be taken into context. On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was asked for his comments on the Engerer case(s), and said he had none to make as “government does not interfere in police investigations”.

Yet late in the evening, Mr Galea Curmi issued a statement, admitting that he had coincidentally met Cyrus Engerer in Mdina and they had spoken “as friends” about Chris Engerer’s case. Mr Galea Curmi admits that he called the police commissioner, in Engerer’s presence, and asked Mr John Rizzo to speak to Chris Engerer’s lawyer, Carlo Bizazza, about the case.

During a rare news conference on Tuesday, Mr Rizzo squirmed when quizzed on the matter, but made public a very telling remark, “God forbid we were to work this way”. If the Police Commissioner, given all the pressure of the case, felt he could say such a thing, it speaks volumes. He refused to talk to Dr Bizazza, but later backtracked and said he did not see anything wrong in the phone call having been made.

In his statement, Mr Galea Curmi went on to reveal that he was the godfather of Cyrus Engerer and regretted that sections of the media manipulated the story about two individuals he “cares about deeply”, in order to damage the PM’s reputation.

But Mr Galea Curmi’s statement, which was released late in the day and after the conference by Mr Rizzo, contradicted the PM’s comment earlier in the day, as no matter how benign his intentions, the fact that he (Galea Curmi) made the phone call to Mr Rizzo was tantamount to pressure and interference in a police investigation.

One understands that Mr Galea Curmi has a personal bond with the Engerers, but personal feelings have no place in the Office of the Prime Minister on matters regarding a criminal investigation. This, Mr Galea Curmi fails to understand, but Mr Rizzo clearly did. No matter what the intention of the call, the mere fact that the Prime Minister’s Head of Secretariat called the Commissioner and made the request is in fact, undue influence, interference and exertion of pressure.

Let us be clear, Cyrus Engerer is no babe in the woods. He knew this was happening and it all perhaps contributed to his final decision to switch to the PL. But what is also clear is that someone sat on this investigation for a long time, and the timing of its being brought to conclusion is just too much of a coincidence for anyone to be able to digest and accept.

While all eyes are now fixed on the OPM and the parties, perhaps attention ought to shift to the Police Corps itself. It seems that Police Commissioner John Rizzo has nothing to hide, as he called for an inquiry. But what about other elements within the Police Corps? Was it indeed a coincidence, or was this all about ‘rogue’ elements within the force that are jostling for position?

The Commissioner says that he is not politically motivated. This we believe, but can he say the same for all of the men under his command? Surely, the inquiry will shed some light on the murky grey area between policy and enforcement. Many questions need answering.