'Anger and disappointment': No justice for Lassana Cisse yet, seven years on

Seven years after the murder of Lassana Cisse, fresh calls for justice have erupted as the case remains stalled in legal limbo.

Human rights lawyer and activist Neil Falzon told Times of Malta the anniversary is being marked with "anger and disappointment". The fact that there is no end in sight to the case sheds serious doubts on public safety, he said.

"Malta needs to reassure everyone living here that they are safe, that the institutions established for our protection will actually protect us when needed. Justice for Lassana now," he said.

The 2019 drive-by shooting is believed to be Malta's first known racially motivated killing.

Ivorian man Lassana Cisse Souleymane, 42, was killed on April 6, 2019, as he was walking to the Ħal Far open centre after watching a football match with friends.

Two other African men were also injured as a result of the shooting.

Two former soldiers stand accused of the murder, but they were released on bail in December that same year. Meanwhile, activists and politicians continue to call for justice.

Lassana Cisse Souleymane, 42, was killed on April 6, 2019, as he was walking home after watching a football match.

Delays 'a matter of deep concern' - Helena Dalli

Among them is acting president and former EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli, who described the murder as a "wake-up call" that exposed structural racism.

"It was a moment that forced us to confront the reality that the poison of racism is not a distant threat, but a structural one that can penetrate even our most trusted institutions," she said.

"At the time, I was clear: justice delayed is a heavy burden for a family already broken by hate."

She said the ongoing delay in the judicial process remains a matter of deep concern.

"For justice to serve its purpose as a deterrent and a form of closure, it must be timely," she said.

"A seven-year wait for a final resolution in a case of this magnitude risks sending a message of indifference."

Acting president and former EU commissioner Helena Dalli. Photo: Facebook / Helena Dalli

Cisse's tragedy should be transformed into systemic change, she said, adding that she initiated the groundwork and public consultation for Malta's first National Anti-Racism Strategy in 2019.

"I presented an equality Bill and a bill for the creation of a human rights and equality commission, arguing that these were not just legal frameworks, but essential tools to prevent such violence. I insisted that we move beyond rhetoric to create laws that treat racism as the structural threat it is," she said.

"I then took the lessons learned from this tragedy to the heart of Europe. In 2020, as EU Commissioner, I delivered the first-ever EU Anti-Racism Action Plan (2020-2025). This plan was built on the principle that anti-racism is an active duty. It urged every member state to adopt national action plans, specifically addressing the very issues of institutional bias and fair policing that the Lassana Cisse case brought to light."

Legal proceedings in Cisse's case have yet to reach a final verdict. For many, the empty seat at the Cisse family table remains a chilling reminder of a system that Dalli insists must move beyond rhetoric to ensure equality is a lived reality.

"We cannot bring Lassana back, but we can ensure his death was not in vain by demanding a justice system that is both swift and blind to skin colour, and a society where equality is not an aspiration, but a lived reality," Dalli said.