Paul Sheehan, the police constable who fired shots into a car was on Wednesday charged with attempted murder. And the question immediately arises, why did it take a week to see him in the dock?

Even from preliminary investigations, it was abundantly clear that this police officer - tasked to Police Minister Manwel Mallia - overstepped the boundaries. It even became clear on a political level only one day after the incident. As soon as it emerged that shots had been fired at the vehicle of a Briton, a DOI statement claimed that PC Sheehan had fired warning shots at an aggressive man. But it was later retracted when eyewitness reports (and unequivocal hard evidence) showed that the Briton had knocked the mirror of the car. A gun toting Sheehan set off in pursuit and fired three shots at the vehicle. It was then said that he was under investigation and that he was being questioned.

One week later, he was charged. Yet although it is clear that Sheehan lied, he was not charged with giving false statement or lying under oath. One has to ask why, when in other cases, people get the book thrown at them.

The opposition has now also filed a motion of no confidence in Minister Mallia, calling on the Prime Minister to sack him. At the latest count, an online survey carried out by the Malta Independent shows that 84% of respondents want the Prime Minister to remove Mallia from his role. Surveys in other mediums reflect the same sentiment. The Prime Minister has said that he wants to wait for the outcome of an inquiry before taking action, but taking disciplinary action is one thing, and making someone shoulder political responsibility is something else entirely.

The media, the social media and the public at large are baying for heads to roll. But it seems that the PM has gone into siege mentality. This incident has shocked the entire country. People are very conscious of the fact that a gun toting police officer, who's duty it is to defend people, decided to shoot at a moving car. Anything could have happened. The man who was initially painted to be a violent aggressor drove off in fear after shots were fired at him and the police officer have chase, firing another shot that could have hit anyone.

Is this the Malta that we are living in? If the Prime Minister does not come down hard on Mallia and if the legal system does not throw the book at the accused, it will be sending a very dangerous message. It will send the message that Wild West culture is ok, and that no one needs to shoulder political responsibility in the face of such a shocking incident.