Updated 730pm
Alex Dalli’s prison degraded inmates and subjected them to pervasive intimidation and fear, with an inmate describing the place as a 'factory of evil', a new Ombudsman investigation has found.
The damning and disturbing 30-page report – based on extensive staff and inmates’ testimonies – was released on Friday.
It reveals that during the tenure of former Director of Prisons, Colonel Alexander Dalli (between 2018 and 2021), the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) was plagued by systemic maladministration and degrading treatment of prisoners.
The investigation, prompted by persistent media reports and concerns raised by NGO Moviment Graffitti, found that intimidation was routinely used to maintain discipline, prevent contraband, and ensure security at the time.
The report found that the prevailing mentality within the CCF was that "any means" were acceptable to achieve this, fostering a culture of abuse.
“Imprisonment, and therefore the deprivation of liberty, is in and of itself the only punishment […] A person is sent to prison by way of punishment – he or she is not sent to prison to be further punished by being dehumanised,” the report concluded.
“What the evidence discloses for the period under examination is a total disregard of the Prisons Regulations on a systemic basis, with the ruling principle being je suis le roi, je suis la loi (I am the king, I am the law)."
The report also revealed a pervasive lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities within the CCF, coupled with a severe shortage of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This lack of basic administrative structure contributed to a culture where abuse could thrive.
“The application in many instances of this principle was both the result of a dysfunctional administration with virtually no SOPs, coupled with the attitude of several prison officials towards the inmates and the determination of the then Director of Prisons to stem the problem of prohibited drugs and other illegal items within the confines of the CCF at any cost.
"That determination morphed into an obsession.”
‘Factory of evil’
Investigators heard testimony from numerous inmates and staff members, many of whom spoke of a climate of fear and intimidation.
One witness described the prison administration as a "factory of evil" (fabbrika tal-ħażen), alleging that Dalli, who carried a firearm and sometimes openly displayed it, created a "cult of personality" where dissent was suppressed.
Other witnesses described a "show" orchestrated by officers with batons and clubs, intended to intimidate inmates.
One inmate described the constant fear and bullying, stating that even a simple greeting could be misinterpreted and result in disciplinary action.
The report also highlighted an incident where inmates were forced to do exercises during "fall-in", with one inmate claiming they could be locked up for five days just for sneezing.
The report also details a disturbing incident involving a group of migrants who were brought to the CCF after being arraigned in court.
One witness said they saw prison officers passing racist jokes and treating the inmates with discrimination.
He recounted an alarming incident where, during the Ħal Far riots, migrants were brought to the prison grounds, forced to kneel handcuffed, and had a dog intimidate them before being hosed down with a water pipe.
‘In a single room for 33 days’
Another witness said he was kept in solitary confinement for 33 days, and the investigators’ inspection of the room confirmed the inmate's description: a bare room with a foam mattress on the floor, a Turkish toilet, no sink, and limited access to water.
The inmate recalled being given only a t-shirt and shorts in December, with his underwear and socks being confiscated. He was only given socks and a cardigan after the intervention of the prison chaplain.
"In the Commission’s view, the keeping of any person in that room for any period of time – even for just one day – was degrading treatment verging on the inhuman," the report said.
Another inmate said that upon admission in mid-June, he was placed for five days in a cell in division six.
“This cell had a metal structure with a piece of foam on it which served as a bed, a concrete sink with cold running water, and a non-flushable stainless steel toilet bowl,” the report said.
“In spite of the summer heat, he was not allowed any fan and not even toilet paper, ostensibly in line with ‘doctor’s order’.”
Another inmate said that while he had never seen physical beatings, he believed there was a lot of "verbal beating" due to ignorance and a lack of proper training for officers.
Suicides
Dalli’s tenure was, however, mostly controversial because 14 inmates died during the time he served as prison director.
Many of the deaths were by suicide.
The report highlights the high suicide rate at the time and suggests a link between the prison conditions and these tragedies, but stops short of definitively saying the conditions caused the suicides, leaving that determination to any future legal proceedings.
It focused on one particular suicide, of a female inmate, who was placed in solitary confinement despite showing signs of self-harm.
Dalli suspended himself in 2021 following a string of suicides and deaths behind bars that saw simmering concerns about his methods boil over.
An inquiry probing internal prison procedures saw him walk out of prison for good, but he was immediately given another government appointment as special representative in Libya, with Times of Malta reporting the job came with a remuneration of at least €97,490.
The Ombudsman report also stopped short of determining who should shoulder political responsibility.
“It is not the function of the Ombudsman’s Office to determine who is to shoulder the political responsibility for the systemic maladministration at the CCF during the period in question. That determination is reserved for others,” the report said.
‘Let journalists in’
The Ombudsman recommended that journalists and the press be allowed in prison.
“Many of the unpleasant situations which occurred in the period under examination could have been averted or at least attenuated had the press and the news media had the “right” to inspect the CCF,” the report said.
“For this purpose, the Commission and the Ombudsman strongly recommend that a policy or protocol be drafted by the Director of Prisons to allow, without any improper discrimination, such inspections by the press and the news media, with due regard to prison security and good order and respect for the privacy of inmates.”
The Ombudsman also said inmates under arrest should be kept in different sections than inmates serving a sentence, and inmates should not be transferred too frequently between divisions.
Solitary confinement should only be instituted on court order and not on the prison director’s whim.
Prison officers should be constantly trained, not only on security and first aid but also on inmates’ psychology and social realities.
The government should also pass new laws and implement measures to improve systems and structures in prison and to ensure a dignified environment for all inmates.
'Ministry implemented change since then'
In a reaction to the report on Friday, the Home Affairs Ministry said that while it respected the office of the Ombudsman and the investigation, it wanted to highlight that the probe covered a period over three years ago, and many things have changed since then.
An office for prisoner welfare was set up and every inmate now has a personalised care plan, it said.
Three halfway houses are being set up, including one for female inmates, and the female division now has a mother and child section.
Over 40 SOPs have been instituted and there are now 87 psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers, the ministry added.
Educational and training centres, the forensic unit and the kitchen have been refurbished or set up, and new admissions are spending their first week in a special hub before being assigned a division.
Officers are given mental first aid courses and inmates are given more employment opportunities and can now spend time with their children in a separate building outside prison.
"This doesn't mean there isn't more to be done - and a parole reform and the introduction of electronic monitoring are among the measures that will be or are currently being implemented," the statement said.
'Camilleri defended inhumane administration' - PN
The PN said, that, together with "many others", it had spent years calling on the government to change the facility's leadership.
However, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and Prime Minister Robert Abela continued to defend Alex Dalli to the very end, despite the deaths that occurred, shadow minister for home affairs Darren Carabott said in a statement.
"The Ombudsman’s condemnation is also a condemnation of the minister and the prime minister, who had the power to remove Dalli and prevent many of the tragedies that took place in the prison.
"Yet, they chose to do nothing. Instead, they chose to defend him. And when Dalli finally left his position at the prison, Robert Abela ensured he remained satisfied, appointing him to a cushy job in Libya as a Migration Coordinator with a salary exceeding €100,000 per year," he said.
Carabott said the Ombudsman’s report was unequivocal in its conclusions, stating that he was morally convinced that the individuals who committed suicide and/or died in prison during this period were affected by the way they were treated in the facility.
"This not only places direct blame on Dalli but, even more so, places responsibility on Camilleri and Abela, who were fully aware of what was happening inside Corradino Prison.
"The PN makes it clear that Camilleri must understand what is stated in Paragraph 43 of the report. Although the Ombudsman stated it is not within his office’s remit to determine who should bear political responsibility, Camilleri knows exactly who should be held accountable," Carabott added.
The Opposition MP said the report was "harsh and courageous" and the PN hoped the current prison administration fully adopted and implemented the recommendations as soon as possible.
'Under PN prison was a hive for drug trafficking' - PL
Reacting to the PN's comments, the PL said that when the Nationalists were in government, "the situation at CCF was a mess".
"[The PN's] track record on this matter is abysmal. Court judgements at the time show that drug trafficking used to take place within the facilities themselves.
"Today, the situation is different. Instead of following the PN's advice on how to lead CFF or, worse, follow its example, the Labour government turned a new page at CCF."
The PL said several initiatives had strengthened the rehabilitation and care of prisoners. And while more needed to be done, the PN lacked credibility on this matter.
"Its track record when in government is shameful. CCF employees were left largely ignored by PN administrations. They were often intimidated by the prisoners themselves," the party said in a statement.