Court hits out at ‘police mismanagement’ in 2008 Hamrun feast disturbance

A total of 15 people were acquitted today of causing a disturbance in August 2008 during the feast of St. Cajetan, and found that out of a whole group of people arrested after the traditional Sunday morning band march, only one person - a young woman - could be found guilty of evading police custody.

In her judgment, Magistrate Demicoli stressed that all the accused managed to prove their version of events, mostly that the situation had escalated because of police mismanagement 'and nothing else'.

The case involved two known families in Hamrun, the 'Alfaran' and 'Tal-Webbes' clan.

The court said it had noted serious discrepancies in evidence given by the policemen who went to the scene.

A superintendent and two police inspectors had given different reasons as to what had led to a considerable number of policemen being sent to Giovanni Barbara Street, where the incident took place. There were also different police versions of the incident.

The court noted that there was a chain reaction of events after the police arrested one of the accused, Jason James Agius, after which the police arrested a number of people for no apparent reason, other that they objected to the  arreste without any justification.

However the court felt the police were unjustified in having arrested all of Abela's family without reason.

Magistrate Demicoli criticised the police for having "added fuel to the fire by by needless arrests in what they thought was a way to control the situation."

Another point raised by the Court concerned the way one of the accused - Alishia Mintoff -  was arrested.  She was taken away from her young child in a pushchair, leaving it in the middle of the road.

Only Marouska Attard could be found guilty of the charge brought against her, having escaped police custody. She was handed a conditional discharge. 

The accused were Carmel Abela, Angelino Abela. Jonathan Abela, Johan Abela, Anthony Abela, Jason James Agius, Heathcliffe Schembri, James Vella, Dylon Vella, John Mamo, Nazzareno Gatt, Marouska Attard and Kelsey Vella.