13 policemen charged in overtime racket are back in the force

Thirteen police officers facing serious criminal charges in court over a massive traffic section overtime racket were brought back into the force a few weeks ago, Times of Malta can confirm.

The officers were brought back in April and deployed to a newly established police squad in Paceville, even though they stand accused of having allegedly been paid for overtime work they did not perform.

A police spokesperson confirmed one of them, an inspector, was assigned with the district police and the others were put on the Paceville Neighbourhood Team.

“Upon a recommendation by the Public Service Commission, 13 other officers were earlier this year re-designated within the Malta Police Force to their former grades, namely: one inspector, one sergeant major, three police sergeants, and eight police constables,” he said.

The news follows a Times of Malta story published last week revealing that former police sergeant Norman Xuereb, who was handed a five-year jail sentence after being described in court as the “brains” behind the fraud, had also been quietly brought back to the new Paceville unit earlier this year.

Xuereb was the 14th officer to make his way back to the police along with the others, but he has now been suspended again following his conviction.

The squad was established this year to patrol the nightlife hub in time for the summer surge, when thousands of people flood the area’s bars and streets.

Sources close to the police said not all officers facing criminal charges rejoined the force. The officers were told they could make a request to go back. Those who did, returned to active duty, but many others did not and remain suspended.

‘Move triggered some officers’

The decision has caused some resentment among other officers. Multiple police sources questioned how individuals accused of such financial crimes and breaching public trust could be welcomed back into the corps.

The move also has triggered anger among other police officers, some of whom said the decision reeked of a blatant, pre-election manoeuvre designed to secure votes. The officers rejoined the force a few weeks before the election was announced.

One source said other officers were offended because they have been suspended for longer over much less serious offences, and yet their suspensions were not lifted. But other sources dismissed the idea of a political manoeuvre, arguing the reinstated officers remain deeply bitter about how they were treated by the authorities.

“They are so angry at the government for what happened to them that no favour was going to win their votes back,” one source said.

‘Suspension was lifted in 2024’ – police

The police, however, said it was not uncommon for suspensions to be lifted, and these 13 officers had theirs lifted since 2024, when they were reinstated with the public service to join a patrolling team in Valletta.

Now they were merely being re-designated from one public service to another.

“In line with the Public Service Management Code, public officials suspected of wrongdoing, including those who are facing criminal proceedings, are placed under precautionary suspension until their case is concluded. However, a suspended official may submit a request for the suspension to be lifted,” the police spokesperson said.

“The officers referred to above had their suspensions lifted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2024 and, upon accepting the conditions, were at that time assigned to roles within the same public service.”

The police force was acting according to the direction issued by the PSC, he added.

Questions about accusations of political vote-catching remained unanswered. 

What is the overtime racket?

The scandal dates back to late 2019, when a whistleblower exposed an allegedly systemic, widespread corrupt practice within the police force’s traffic section.

An internal investigation followed, and it revealed that traffic police officers were claiming thousands of euros in overtime pay for “extra duties” – specifically traffic management for major infrastructural projects like the Marsa flyovers, that they never actually performed.

In many instances, officers were claiming overtime while simultaneously clocked in for their regular paid shifts.

The probe ultimately gutted the traffic section, leading to the mass arrest and arraignment of much of the unit officials.

Officers were hit with multiple charges, and while a few were acquitted since, many others are still on the hook in the ongoing court case.

Norman Xuereb alone was found to have personally pocketed €53,000 through the scheme.