A monument to police constable Roger Debattista, who was shot dead during a bank hold-up in 2001, was unveiled in Qormi today at Triq il-Hlas, close to where the bank used to be located.

PC Debattista was shot through the door of the Bank of Valletta branch which he was guarding.

"Roger was a true policeman, an exemplary policeman, a model of how every policeman should conduct his duties. He was a policeman who fought crime so that society could be secure. He was prepared to pay with his own blood to protect society from crime," Police Commissioner John Rizzo said.

The monument - featuring a bust of Mr Debattista - was set up on the initiative of Qormi council, the bank and the police.

PC Debattista has already had a street and a wing of police HQ named after him.

He was killed as he locked the bank's door on seeing the three armed robbers rushing towards him. He was shot twice, with the second being the fatal shot.

As one robber held up the four customers and seven employees inside the bank, the other two men grabbed as much cash as they could and then ran off in a waiting getaway car.

Following investigations spearheaded by Commissioner Rizzo, the robbers were eventually found to be Andy Calleja, 23, Mario Borg, 35, Ian Galdes, 22, and Mark Falzon, 26.

Admitting to their numerous charges at the start of their trial, Mr Borg and Mr Galdes were jailed for seven years and Mr Borg for five.

Mr Calleja, who was identified as the murderer, was handed a life sentence.

This immediately sparked an uproar in the court room as Constable Debattista's relatives hurled abuse at the four men in the dock, a situation which was only brought under control by the strong police presence.

Constable Debattista, then a dog handler, was married with three children and had been working overtime when he was murdered.

He has previously served in Mobile Squad and the Corradino Correctional Facility.