Police claim Sliema mayor’s friends spreading ‘false allegations’

The police force has written to MaltaToday saying that sources speaking to this newspaper can be made liable to legal action “in terms of the law of the land”, in an effort to quash claims made by friends of disgraced Sliema mayor Nikki Dimech.

The force is referring to sources who this week said Dimech had admitted to accusations of bribery “under duress”, because he was denied an asthma inhaler and wanted to be released from interrogation.

The police force says these claims are “false allegations” and that Dimech was brought his inhaler and pills but that he “did not request to make use of them.”

Dimech this week admitted to accusations of having demanded a €5,000 kickback on a €25,000 council tender from Stephen Buhagiar, a canvasser of Nationalist MP and former Sliema mayor Robert Arrigo.

Sources who spoke to MaltaToday said Dimech first signed a police statement – on Wednesday, 11 August – denying the accusations. At 1pm he was then remanded into a police cell at the Floriana headquarters, by interrogating police inspector Angelo Gafà, and reportedly denied his asthma inhaler.

“Nikki was denied his inhaler and by the time he was interrogated a second time, he was having an asthmatic panic attack, and had difficulties breathing,” sources speaking to MaltaToday said.

At 3:30pm, he was taken back into interrogation and at 4pm he signed a second statement, this time admitting having asked for a commission from Buhagiar, for works he carries out for the Sliema council. “He came back home saying he was desperate by the time he was questioned a second time, and had admitted to the charges to obtain a swift release from the police depot.”

The police reaction was issued over 24 hours after MaltaToday published its story.

In a letter received today by MaltaToday, the police force said it “categorically denies all the allegations made by the ‘friends of Mr Nikki Dimech’ that he ‘only signed the second statement to be able to go back home as soon as possible, and that pleas to have his inhaler brought to him at police HQ went ignored’.

“Mr Dimech was afforded all constitutional rights available to all suspects undergoing police interrogation in Malta. He even requested and was allowed to consult with a lawyer of his choice prior to the interrogation. Mr Dimech’s inhaler and pills were also brought to Police General Headquarters, by a friend of his, whilst he was in police custody, however, he did not request to make use of them.”

The force added that “all preliminary investigations into this matter show that the allegations made are untrue and are being spread simply to tarnish the reputation of the Police Force and that of the investigating officer. The Police Force wants to remind that the “sources” behind these false allegations may also be liable to legal action in terms of the law of the land.”