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Inspector singled out in wrongful prosecution to face PSC proceedings
Police Commissioner initiates charges against Elton Taliana, who faces possible dismissal if negligence is proven before PSC
10 October 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
2 min read
A police inspector identified by a Police Board inquiry of failing to inform investigating officers of the mistaken prosecution of a criminal suspect, is to face charges before the Public Service Commission, the civil service's disciplinary tribunal.
Police Inspector Elton Taliana was found by a police board inquiry into the wrongful prosecution of 27-year-old Darryl Luke Borg, to have failed to inform investigating officers that a second suspect had admitted to committing a hold-up which Borg had been accused of and spent time in preventive custody for.
The inquiry recommended that disciplinary measures against Taliana. Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit has formally initiated action against Taliana, on charges that could lead to his dismissal.
The Police Board had concluded that Taliana failed to take the necessary steps which would have immediately freed Borg from prison while a second man was pleading guilty to the charges. "Inspector Taliana failed to cooperate with the other police officers who worked on the case and instead proceeded hastily alone without communicating with his colleagues or superiors," the Police Board said.
It claimed that Taliana kept his silence while "being fully aware" that a second person had been accused with the same crime.
Taliana will be accused of negligence and "tarnishing the reputation of the police force" through his actions when he faces the PSC.
The case is rife with political accusations. Shadow home affairs minister Jason Azzopardi accused the police board of lacking independence. The board is chaired by a former judge, Franco Depasquale, and includes the wife of Labour MP Silvio Scerri, Deandra, Labour candidate David Farrguia Saccgo, and Keith Chetcuti, who is an employee of a company formerly owned by the home affairs minister's chief of staff Silvio Schembri.
Azzopardi has claimed that Taliana is being wrongfully accused. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has also dubbed Taliana a whistleblower in the case.
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Simon what do you think is a whistleblower? It is certainly not a whistle since Taliana did not blow the whistle to speak out the truth. He kept his silence possibly on instructions from the PN machinery. He certainly was not a blower - no papers were even ruffled to get the wrong person arrested out of the mess with urgency. So how can Taliana be a whistleblower.? Maybe he blew the whistle at or close to Tal-Pieta for a select few to get going - Jason Azzopardi can enlighten us on this.
