Ramon Mifsud, the police sergeant who was suspended for his Facebook post following the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, is currently being paid half-salary.

Replying to questions by The Malta Independent, Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar said that when one is suspended they receive half their salary until procedures are carried out by the Public Service Commission.

Last Monday week, following the brutal murder of Caruana Galizia, Sergeant Ramon Mifsud uploaded a Facebook status which read ‘Had wara had tasal ta kulhadd demel!!!!! Feeling happy : )’ (Everyone gets what they deserve, cow dung!!). Mifsud was mentioned on several occasions in Caruana Galizia’s blog.

Mifsud is currently suspended pending a hearing from the Public Service commission.

The law states that in the event that the request for precautionary suspension is not authorized by the Commission, the officer under suspensions shall be immediately recalled for duty and shall be refunded any salary withheld during the period of precautionary suspension.

It goes on to say that a public officer who is suspended for precautionary purposes shall receive half salary, unless the Commission, after consulting the Head of the Public Service, approves that he receives a higher proportion of the salary.

According to the police commissioner, Mifsud is receiving half his salary.

Last week, The Malta Independent asked Cutajar if action would be taken against other police officers who had ‘liked’ Mifsud’s post, Cutajar replied that “investigations by the Internal Affairs Unit are ongoing.”