Police Commissioner refutes claims of police apathy towards high-profile crimes

Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà has blasted claims about the police’s reluctance to investigate high-profile crimes.

Speaking on Andrew Azzopardi’s radio show on RTK103, Gafà stressed that during his tenure, there has never been a case where a magisterial inquiry was requested due to police inaction.

When the show’s host raised concerns about the police’s lack of investigation into the Vitals-Steward hospitals deal, Gafà said that the court inquiry into the case had begun before he took over as police commissioner.

Last year, a long list of people involved in the fraudulent hospitals inquiry, including top politicians and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, were arraigned in two separate groups. 

A police inspector testified that the police had not carried out investigations of their own. Neither had the police questioned the suspects before issuing the charges.

Gafà also spoke about proposed reforms to magisterial inquiries, saying it would increase police scrutiny. Under the changes, officers who fail to investigate a case within six months would have to justify their decision before a judge. He added that victims would benefit from improved access to information about their cases.

He made the case for streamlining the system, pointing out that there are instances of “forum shopping,” where individuals seek inquiries based on procedural advantages rather than the merits of a case.

Addressing the revelations of abuse at Malta’s main prison under Alex Dalli, Gafà stated that the police had launched an investigation as soon as the Ombudsman’s report on the matter was published. 

One of the report’s claims was that an inmate had attempted to pass crime-related information to the police but was prevented from doing so.

Gafà acknowledged the seriousness of the claim but said the investigation had hit a roadblock because the police do not know the identity of the individual, and the Ombudsman has refused to reveal it.

Gafà urged the inmate to come forward while on the programme.

Robert Aquilina alleges police did not arrest anyone over Vitals deal so accomplices don't turn on each other 

Reacting to Gafà's statements, Fondazione Falcone's Robert Aquilina alleged that the police did not arrest or interrogate anyone over the hospitals fraud out of fear that they might speak out against accomplices.

"There were so many individuals involved in the case that there was a big chance one of them crumbles under interrogation, admits to wrongdoing and tells all," Aquilina said.