Two police constables were charged on Sunday with abducting and grievously injuring foreign nationals.
Rica Mifsud Grech, 22-years-old from Floriana and Jurgen Falzon, 24-years-old from Santa Venera, pleaded not guilty to the charges on Sunday as they appeared in court at noon, as well as to the charge of crimes against human dignity
A third police official is expected to be brought to court once dismissed from hospital.
Police inspector Joe Mercieca told the court that some police officers had filed a complaint to an internal police body on Friday about the three officers.
The three were stationed in Hamrun, and allegedly abducted foreign nationals, taking them to Qormi and assaulting them. The alleged incidents occurred between 2nd and 3rd September, with another incident later in that month.
One of the alleged victims spoke to investiators, the court heard.
Bail was requested, but the prosecution objected since, among other things, one of the victims still had to be tracked down.
Lawyer Edmond Vassallo, appearing for one of the defendants, said that no reports had been filed by the alleged victims.
Lawyer Veronique Dalli, another defence lawyer, questioned the motivations of the reports filed against the two.
Magistrate Joe Mifsud denied the bail request at this stage, and noted the gravity of the charges.
Earlier in the day, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa held a crime conference on the matter, announcing the arraignment.
Gafa said that he was informed of the alleged abuses by the three police constables on Friday and immediately launched an investigation into the case.
The report was filed by other police officers as none of the alleged victims made any reports to the police, he had said.
One of the officials was taken to Mater Dei Hospital after complaining of medical issues. The official will be charged once cleared by medical professionals.
Gafa said that the police take these matters very seriously and action was taken as soon as the report was first received - the three were also suspended.
Gafa also said that from initial investigations, there had been more than one incident of police abuse. At least two incidents which happened on different days occurred, he said.
The Commissioner was asked if this was a racially motivated attack on black-skinned persons, to which he said that it is not conclusive that the victims were black-skinned, but confirmed that they were foreign nationals. The injuries caused were not life-threatening despite one of the charges being the cause of grievous bodily harm.
The constables are two men and one woman, who worked the same shift.
Commissioner Gafa continued to say that the police force will never tolerate incidents with the use of illegitimate force from its members, adding that the majority carry out their duty with honour.
He said that the police force has introduced numerous initiatives and policies which make a difference as to how the police should act, especially in the case of minorities.
Gafa did not divulge more details on the investigation such as the motive behind the assault.