Police investigations into abuse allegations at Gozo's Lourdes Home are continuing and a Dominican nun at the centre of the allegations, made by a boy who was in her care, was yesterday called in for renewed questioning by the police, The Times has learned.

Police sources said the nun was detained for some time at police headquarters in Floriana.

The nun, who lives at the Dominican Order’s Pompeii House in Victoria, was interrogated for the first time by the vice squad last Friday in Gozo.

Officially, the police would only confirm that the nun’s case was being investigated without giving any details. “It is not prudent to comment on this case,” the police said.

The incident allegedly happened five years ago although it remains unclear what type of abuse is being alleged.

The boy, in his teens, was one of 10 remaining children relocated from the Gozo orphanage three years ago when it was permanently closed down after a commission set up by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech found instances of physical and psychological abuse of minors by nuns who ran the home.

The Dominican Order has so far refused to comment on the allegations.

Attempts to contact the Dominican Order’s Mother General, Sister Carmelita Borg, over the past two days have proved futile with nuns answering the phone insisting she was not there.

Mgr Grech had set up the commission, chaired by Judge Victor Caruana Colombo, in 2006 to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of children by the nuns.

The allegations were aired on the television programme Bondiplus, where eight alleged victims – who were in their late 20s, 30s, and 40s – had come forward to recount their experience.

During the programme, one man recounted how he was force-fed and when he was sick he was made to re-ingest his vomit. Another said a hot iron was placed on his hand by a nun and a woman spoke about how she was dragged by the hair along a corridor.

The report had identified Sr Dorothy Mizzi and Sr Josephine Anne Sultana, as perpetrators of the abuse. Sr Mizzi is vicar general of the congregation.

Mgr Grech had asked for forgiveness from those who were abused as children while residing at the home. When allegations related to the treatment of children at the home first surfaced in 1999, the diocese had set up a commission, which had drawn up a report that concluded those claims were unfounded.