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Gonzi aware of whistleblower who can shed light on Azzopardi case
12 migrants did not fall - says Commissioner of Police - but incurred injuries trying to escape detention from CID yard.
14 October 2012, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
3 min read
12 foreign nationals were involved in incidents where they allegedly jumped off the bastions beneath the police headquarters in Floriana.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has been made aware of a whistleblower who could shed light on the circumstances concerning the fatal injuries suffered by Nicholas Azzopardi, who was found at the foot of the so called 'migrants' bastion' back in April 2008.
Since taking home affairs under his wing, after the resignation of Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Gonzi has taken the step to reveal in parliament that 12 foreign nationals were involved in incidents where they allegedly jumped off the bastions beneath the police headquarters in Floriana.
The prime minister has now announced an amnesty for anybody who can shed light on the allegations that Nicholas Azzopardi that he might have incurred a fatal drop at the foot of the 'migrants' bastions' - as they are called in police quarters.
Commissioner of Police John Rizzo yesterday denied allegations that 12 foreign nationals had 'fallen' from the bastions, saying all cases involved migrants who had attempted to escape from police general headquarters, by tearing down a fence that secured the back yard of their detention quarters; and then proceeding to scale down the bastions with makeshift ropes made out of their bed-sheets or clothes.
"There were no fatalities. All persons, with the exception of one who absconded, were later apprehended by the police within a short period of time. Medical treatment was given where necessary."
The police also provided MaltaToday with the names and nationalities of all the escapees, one of whom attempted to escape twice in the space of a few days. One of the migrants suffered grievous injuries.
"No magisterial inquiries were held due to the fact that no one of the escapees suffered from life-threatening injuries. As these persons were apprehended almost immediately in the vicinity of Police Headquarters after they attempted or made with their escape, with the exception of the one who absconded, it was felt that there was no need to issue a press release."
It is to be noted that when Azzopardi was found at the foot of the bastions, no press release was issued by the police force either.
Rizzo said disciplinary action was taken where it resulted that there was negligence on the part of the officer who had to see over the custody of these persons. No information on these actions was provided.
Former police officers who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity earlier on yesterday, expressed their misgivings on whether any such migrants had tried to escape. The family of Nicholas Azzopardi still believes he was beaten up by his custodians, before waking up at the foot of the bastions in the grounds of the Lorenzo Manché school in Floriana.
A second magisterial inquiry into his death was concluded recently, after one of Azzopardi's custodians - police sergeant Adrian Lia - was revealed by this newspaper to have stolen €30,000 in cash from illegal gambling, before being sacked. Only then did Rizzo personally ask the Attorney General to reopen a new inquiry into the case.
Labour MP Evarist Bartolo today writes in his weekly column in MaltaToday (page 22) that the Azzopardis told Gonzi, in a meeting they had in September, that the CCTV footage from the CID yard tabled in parliament as part of the government inquiry led by retired judge Albert Manché, has important sequences edited out.
Manché acknowledged the fact that the video footage had been prepared for him by the police. But Bartolo argues that Manché did not appoint an independent IT expert to analyse the footage.
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It is no excuse that because there was no fatalities , no inquiries was conducted , not even an internal inquiry to establish how these persons managed to escape when they were supposed to be in a place of strict security . Having said that , in my opinion , the Government does not feel comfortable with the result of the Magistrial Inquiries , otherwise he did not have to offer such amnesty to a whistleblower who might come forward , so that the truth will finally be known .
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It is no excuse that because there was no fatalities , no inquiries was conducted , not even an i8nternal inquiry to establish how these persons managed to escape when they were supposed to be in a place of strict security . Having said that , in my opinion , the Government does not feel comfortable with the result of the Magistrial Inquiries , otherwise he did not have to offer such amnesty to a whistleblower who might come forward , so that the truth will finally be known .
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When a person is in custody of the police , it is their responsability to safeguard his/her safety during all the time of his/her interrogation or arrest . It is no excuse that these persons managed to avoid the attention of the costodian who was guarding them at that moment and jumped from that particular place to escape . The fact that there was twelve cases of this kind , puts more weight on the Commissoner's shoulders . What action did he took in these cases ? Twelve cases and no action . What a disgrace .
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GHaliex il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija halla ic-CID Yard fi stat li jistaw jaharbu jew jippruvaw jaqbzu minn fuq is-Sur ghal go l-Ospizju possibli mhux kullhadd jaf li postijiet ta' sigurta ghandom ikunu attrezzati b'trali mod li ma jkunx hemm kazi simili bhal ma graw jekk kien hemm xi oggezzjoni biex ma jittelax hajt gholi bhal ma hemm fil-habs ta' kordin kellu jinstab post iehor fejn jahdmu ic-CID, nispera li hu fatt li l-Kummissarju kien jittawal xi daqqiet biex jispezzjona personalment parti mil-Headquarters tieghu
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And these guys have the cheek to criticise Mintoff's era thugs! Mintoff's era thugs, albeit bad people, were saints compared to this smutty lot.
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mela jmutu nies id depoet fi zmien il PN ???
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I suggest that when a person is arrested or taken in by police, the first thing that should be done is that, that person is examined by some panel (people representing a wide selection from the society ie. political parties, medical, church and tepresentative of the general public). This will lessen abuses committed by those authorities who think that they are above the LAW.
Anette B Cassar •
Apparti mill-kaz tragiku ta' Azzopardi, ghaliex kien mgharuf li nies jistghu jaharbu minn dak il-post u qatt ma ghamlux segur? Ejjew nghidulha negligenza u ejjew nemmnu il-verzjoni li Azzopardi qabez. In-Negligenza waslet biex hasdet hajja ta' bniedem. Sa hemm ukoll ghandu jkun hemm kontabilita.
