‘Amnesty, protection’ in return for information on Nicholas Azzopardi case – PM

According to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, government was ready to grant protection and amnesty to whoever was ready to come forward and testify in court over allegations that Nicholas Azzopardi had died after he was allegedly beaten up by police officers at the Floriana police headquarters on 8 April.

Nicholas Azzopardi died from injuries incurred in an alleged fall off the bastions beneath the police headquarters while in police custody in 2008.

Hours before he died on 22 April, he told his family and inquiring magistrate he had been heavily beaten up by his interrogators while under arrest. His family believe Azzopardi was attacked by an officer who flung a side kick, breaking his ribs and puncturing his lung.

His death was the subject of a magisterial inquiry by Antonio Vella, and of a parallel inquiry by retired judge Albert Manchè launched by the government following the publication of the revelations made by Azzopardi in MaltaToday.  The inquiry concluded that there was no wrong doing by the police.

Last month, Magistrate Vella closed another inquiry  after Commissioner of Police John Rizzo asked the Attorney General to re-open the magisterial inquiry last March.

Replying to a question raised by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, Gonzi this evening said that "government had no other interest other than seeing the truth revealed". He said that the aim behind the two inquiries was for the truth to surface.

"There were several comments made and we want nothing but the truth to come out. Government is ready to give protection and amnesty to whoever testifies in court and sheds light on the case," Gonzi said.

In reply to the second party of Bartolo's question, Gonzi confirmed that there had been 13 individuals involved in falls from the bastions behind the Police HQ in Floriana. 12 of these were not Maltese.

He said that one of those involved died after several days in hospital care. He said that the police had investigated all cases.