Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi accused the chief of staff of the Home Affairs Ministry of undue interference in a Police Board inquiry by meeting with one of the board’s main witnesses – Darryl Luke Borg – before he was summoned to testify.
Dr Azzopardi also noted that the meeting was arranged through an intermediary – Charles Attard, known as iz-Zambi – who had been convicted of attempted murder.
The inquiry concerns the 7 August arraignment of Mr Borg, a 27-year-old from Birkirkara, who was accused of carrying out a hold-up in a shop in his hometown three days prior. He had been arraigned by inspectors Joseph Mercieca and Carlos Cordina, from the Criminal Investigation Department, and was denied bail after filing a not guilty plea.
But two days later, Inspector Elton Taliana, who is stationed in Birkirkara, arraigned another Birkirkara resident, 22-year-old Roderick Grech, who admitted to the crime and was sentenced to a 12-month jail term suspended for two years.
That same day, Mr Borg’s lawyers filed an urgent application for his release from prison, which was accepted, and proceedings against him were eventually dropped.
The Police Board, presided by Judge Franco Depasquale, launched an inquiry into the incident, and Mr Borg was summoned to testify last Wednesday.
But Dr Azzopardi pointed out that on Tuesday, an intermediary contacted Mr Borg to inform him that Silvio Scerri, the Home Affairs Ministry’s chief of staff, wanted to speak to him. Mr Borg informed his mother Jane, who insisted that she should accompany him, and the three went to Mr Scerri’s office in Valletta for a 30-minute meeting.
The MP said that during this meeting, Mr Scerri questioned Mr Borg on his comments to the media, in which he praised Mr Taliana for his work – he had pointed out that if not for the police inspector, he would have remained in prison.
Dr Azzopardi stressed that the incident was a “shocking development,” stating that it was unheard of to have a senior ministry official approach a witness in an independent inquiry.
He added that the proper procedure was not followed when it came to summoning Mr Borg: while witnesses are typically summoned in writing, Mr Borg was verbally informed by Mr Scerri that he would be testifying in front of the Police Board the following day.
But he insisted that the ministry’s choice of intermediary – a convicted criminal – was even more serious.
The MP said that he expected those responsible to assume responsibility: while stopping short of demanding the resignation of either Mr Scerri or Minister Manuel Mallia, he said that he demanded the same accountability the Labour Party had demanded before it was elected to government in March.
In a reply, the Home Affairs Ministry said that Dr Azzopardi was trying to prejudice the independent investigation being carried out by Judge Franco Deapasquale through an “irresponsible statement”.
Darryl Luke Borg approached the ministry which had the duty to meet the victim of the unfortunate incident, the ministry said. During the meeting other facts emerged and he was encouraged to repeat these facts during the inquiry.
The government expressed its confidence in Dr Depasquale and it hoped that the conclusions of the investigation will throw light on what took place and also on the motives that led Dr Azzopardi to make today’s statement.