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Update 3 | Police inquiry into prosecution of innocent man opened to the media
Man, 27, wrongly prosecuted over store hold-up; Opposition condemns 'police incompetence'; Government orders inquiry.
9 August 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit has ordered an investigation after the police force wrongly accused an innocent person in the hold-up of a shop.
A government spokesperson confirmed the government has called for an inquiry, which will be convened today at 4:30pm and open to the media.
"The government is taking this case very seriously and immediately asked for an investigation," a spokesperson said. "We are not taking this matter lightly, and intend getting to the bottom of this as soon as possible."
The board of inquiry will be led by judge emeritus Franco Depasquale, with the aim of "establishment in a clear and transparent way what exactly happened."
Opposition spokesperson for home affairs Jason Azzopardi has condemned the "amateurish and irresponsible" management of the police force.
"It's unacceptable and inconceivable that a country that should have serious leadership in the police force, prosecutes an innocent person with a serious crime and keeping them under arrest," Azzopardi said.
"This is a result of a police leadership that is bereft of seriousness, competence and discipline," Azzopardi added.
A 27-year-old man remanded in custody over the Birkirkara hold-up turned out to be the wrong suspect, after miscommunication between police departments led to the mistaken arraignment of Darryl Luke Borg over the hold-up at The Convenience Shop, in Birkirkara.
It turned that it was Roderick Grech, 22 of Birkirkara, who committed the hold-up using a toy gun, allegedly to pay back gambling debts. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, and placed under a supervision order.
Azzopardi said the grave error had been the result of misplaced priorities by the police, which he said had effected 300 transfers, "mostly informed by vindication" that has weakened the presence of police in district stations.
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What about 25 years to solve Raymond Caruana's death and nothing did happen despite the electoral promises of "justice be done".
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"Opposition spokesperson for home affairs Jason Azzopardi has condemned the "amateurish and irresponsible" management of the police force." ..... Does the honourable SHADOW MINISTER know that it is the same police force that operated under his disgraced gonzipn government. A serious mistake was done and an inquiry is to be held plus the me dia will be present a far cry fomr what used to happen during PN's almost 25 years of government.
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Il-kaz ta' Nicholas Azzopardi li miet fil-foss hdejn id-depot insewh tal-PN? Dakinhar ma sar xejn gravi? Ara min irid jitkaza x'kull wahda! Sewwa jghidu li l-prostituta milli jkollha ittik.
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Ghalkemm din hija xi haga ta' min jikkundannha, nahseb l-Avvukat Jason Azzopqrdi qatt ma ddefenda klient li kien innocenti u xorta instab hati !!! X'ghamel dak iz-zmien? Xejn wara s-seduta mar jilaq ix-xemx f'xi kafetterija il-Belt. San Domenico Savio zero hdejn dawn it-tip ta nies.
Luke Camilleri •
Din ghandha jkollha ilprecedenza fuq il-battibekk tal-hanut tal-pastizzi!
So Simple Simon Says.....
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My dear Jason Azzopardi, have you forgotten the number of times your Government, in collusion with the Attorney General, the Courts of Law and the Police, deliberately framed innocent people and made them go through hell for years and years. Where was the seriousness of the Police Force at that time. This does not denigrate the fact that an innocent man spent 2 days accused of a crime which he did not commit. That must be condemned and the Police Commissioner did the right thing to call for a serious inquiry. But to jump on the band wagon of the woes of an innocent man to take political mileage is absolutely disgusting and shows that the old cronies, and tal klikka within the PN has changed its colour but not its skin. They are still disgustingly arrogant and deceiptful. Has Jason Azzopardi forgotten what serious inquiries he set up to check how one of the best friends of his greatest fan, Austin Gatt was given a garage in Valletta by none other than Jason Azzopardi himself. Biex tiskongra trid tkun pur - u purita ma tezistix fil-PN.
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Xi haga xokkanti bhal din qatt ma grat qabel fl-istorja ta' Malta lanqas fi zmien ir-rejnu tal-puri. X'wahda din.
