The Commissioner of Police, Angelo Gafà, is playing games. These games can have dire consequences.

Consider the complaint filed some months ago by River of Love Pastor Gordon Manché. Manché considered it offensive when he was described by a comedian as an asshole, and further that he deserved to be carpet bombed. The Reverend Pastor was not at all amused. He sought the protection of the police.

After interrogating the comedian, Daniel Xuereb, the Police initiated criminal proceedings. Daniel Xuereb was accused of threatening the Reverend Pastor.

On Thursday, the press reported the outcome, "Comedian cleared over asshole comments about River of Love’s Gordon Manché”. The presiding magistrate, in deciding on the criminal charges, concluded that the perceived threat was made in the context of a comedy, and hence it was no threat at all.

Unfortunately, neither the Reverend Pastor nor the Commissioner of Police can read into sarcastic comments.

The police led by Angelo Gafà considered it appropriate to investigate and interrogate comedian Daniel Xuereb before proceeding with criminal action against him for describing the Reverend Pastor as an asshole.

Why then did Angelo Gafà, Commissioner of Police, act differently in respect of the conclusions of the Vitals Hospital deal? Gafà has dealt seriously with comedy. He was apparently concerned with the description of the Reverend Pastor as an asshole. On the other hand, he is dealing with serious crimes as if they were comedy stuff! He is not bothered.

Isn’t it about time that Gafà gets his priorities right?

Joseph Muscat and others are facing charges of money laundering, fraudulent action, and corruption. Yet Angelo Gafà’s police force did not consider that it was necessary to interrogate Muscat and the rest of his alleged partners-in-crime. It was more important to waste the police force's time in investigating comments on assholes than investigating money laundering, corruption, and fraudulent action!

Given the above, it is reasonable to suspect that the Commissioner of Police is playing games with the specific intention of assisting those accused of the crimes that result from the Vitals Global Health Care Magisterial inquiry, in order to get them off the hook. This is being done as those accused of the Vitals-related crimes should have a full disclosure of the evidence which they will have to face. They are entitled to prepare their defence. Gafà is possibly denying them their rights and permitting them to play the victim. He certainly knows better.

Angelo Gafà should check his notes on his operations when still a Police Inspector. He could remember, for example, how some years ago he had arrested a number of Sliema local councillors, who were then strip-searched, in search of a laptop!

It is being suggested that police officers who did not share Commissioner Gafa’s views are currently on forced leave. These police officers, it is rumoured, were prepared to arrest Joseph Muscat and his colleagues and arraign them before the Magistrate’s Court, in the same way as is normal practice with others accused of identical crimes. Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman, two of the co-accused, have already been at it at least one more time!

Why is Angelo Gafà treating Joseph Muscat and his co-accused differently? Why is he creating grounds for those to be arraigned charged with the Vitals-related crimes to possibly get off the hook?

Angelo Gafà is not fit for a circus. He is more concerned with assholes than with fraud, corruption, and money laundering, the crimes of which Joseph Muscat and his colleagues are being accused of. Yet he is still leading the Police Force.

When will Angelo Gafà resign? The sooner, the better.

 

An architect and civil engineer, the author is a former Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party in Malta.  [email protected] ,   http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com