Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri has said that he will  not suspend prisons director Robert Brincau, despite the latter being charged in court.

Brincau was charged with slight bodily harm, threatening a man with a weapon, insulting and threatening the man, carrying an unlicensed firearm in public, being armed during the commission of an offence and breaching the peace, in connection with the 21 August incident at Għadira Bay. Brincau is also accused of having, on the same day, used electronic communications equipment to threaten the director of the rival ambulance service. Witnesses had described to the court how the prison director had allegedly threatened an ambulance crew with a handgun at Għadira Bay last summer during a court hearing.

Brincau is denying the charges and his lawyer is arguing this was a case of false reporting by the ambulance crew.

Byron Camilleri, when asked by MaltaToday whether he will be suspending Brincau until the court proceedings conclude, said that there is a clear conflict in the versions given by the parties, and that it will be the courts to decide which version is correct.  Camilleri also said that the alleged incident did not occur at the place of work, and said that in delicate moments, as were the past days, one cannot have a vacuum in the leadership of a prison. “This same opinion was reflected by groups who work in the rehabilitation of prisoners,” he said. The minister added that a decision in Brincau’s regard, if needed will be taken after the court proceedings conclude.

Fondazzjoni RISE, that works for the rehabilitation of prisoners, called for caution when the news broke that the director was going to be charged, so that the concept of rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners would not lose the positive road it took over the past years. It had said that in a delicate moment, it would be a shame that for a time there would be a vacuum in prison leadership.

But there have been calls for Brincau’s suspension, including by the Nationalist Party. In a statement, the PN spokesman for home affairs Joe Giglio said that while acknowledging that improvement was registered in the administration of the prisons under Brincau, his moral authority was weakened with the start of court proceedings against him. Good governance demanded that he should be suspended until the court proceedings are over. Unless this is done, a wrong and dangerous message would be sent, the PN said.

A person charged before the court must always be presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, when there are serious charges brought against people in positions of power, a suspension is the right thing to do. In this case, the director should be suspended.

An interim director could be appointed until the case is decided, that way the vacuum the minister is worried about would not be there. A prison director must set an example of good behaviour, considering he or she is in charge of trying to reform convicted felons.

But if there is doubt as to the character or actions of a prison director, then how can that person really lead by example? Why would convicts look up to that person? That is why a suspension is required until the case concludes and the truth comes out.