Muscat, Zammit must take responsibility for ‘abuse of power’ - Opposition

The Opposition has called on the Prime Minister and Commissioner of Police to take responsibility for the unlawful seizure of a mobile phone device and iPad belonging to an immigration official who was questioned under arrest over allegedly taking pictures of two government officials while passing through passport control.

Norman Vella, a former TV presenter, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of having taken photos of government chief communications coordinator Kurt Farrugia and home affairs spokesperson Ramona Attard on their way to catch a flight to London Heathrow. The officials were part of a delegation to London on a government communications training programme.

Yesterday, the law courts ordered the police to return to Vella a confiscated mobile phone and tablet after finding no reasonable suspicion that Vella could have snapped the photos in what was said to be a restricted area.

"This latest decision has again reconfirmed a case of abuse of power by the Commissioner of Police and the Muscat government... Peter Paul Zammit appeared personally in court to defend the police's illegal and abusive action, and without having any evidence insisted that the devices stay in police custody. This was solely an attempt at intimidation and abuse of power," the PN said in a statement.

The PN said the case was redolent of the "abuse of power" in the disciplinary proceedings against police inspector Elton Taliana, over the wrongful prosecution of an innocent person. "The PN is insisting that the Commissioner of Police and the prime minister who appointed him, must take responsibility for these abuses of power."

Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit yesterday told The Malta Independent that taking photographs of individuals in places such as airports, was "liable to put one in breach of all acts imaginable" due to Schengen regulations, the Official Secrets Act and the Data Protection Act.

Zammit was quoted as saying that a public officer who photographed people was not suited to the role of officers who entrusted with airport security. "One doesn't normally see a photo journalist taking random photos of others at the airport unless he or she has special permission to do so," Zammit said.

On Wednesday night, former TVHemm presenter Norman Vella demanded that an investigation is opened into an alleged abuse of power over his arrest, in a press conference outside the Office of the Prime Minister where Vella paraded for the media by leaving yesterday's court sentence at the door of the Auberge de Castille.

The court found no reasonable suspicion that the immigration official had committed any crime by allegedly using his smartphone to snap pictures of passengers passing through MIA. In parliament, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil described the ruling as "a victory for freedom and the country".

Soon after the court's ruling, Vella - flanked by his lawyers Karol Aquilina and Therese Commodini Cachia - addressed a press conference. "This sentence proves the abuse of power by the police that took place and I am asking the Prime Minister to see who was responsible for this abuse," he said.

None of the photos that were allegedly taken were found on either his mobile phone and iPad that were seized by arresting officers.

On their part, both Kurt Farrugia and Ramona Attard denied having filed police reports against Vella and said they did not speak to anyone from the police. However, Vella's lawyer Karol Aquilina told the court that it was police inspector Maria Stella Attard who had told him that Farrugia and Attard reported Norman Vella to the police.