A former footballer whose assets were seized in a money laundering probe, is claiming his BMW car was damaged while in police custody and is calling upon the authorities to remedy the situation immediately.
The claim was made by Jeffrey Chetcuti who was arrested alongside another former footballer, Darren Debono, during raids on the night of November 23, 2020, in a police crackdown on an alleged international fuel smuggling ring.
During that operation, police searched the home and all other properties belonging to Chetcuti, seizing items including vehicles, mobile devices, servers, clothes and accessories.
Among those items was a BMW that was subsequently exhibited formally in evidence during criminal proceedings before the Magistrates’ courts.
Once produced in evidence, the car was then taken to the police compound at Pembroke.
But two years down the line, its owner is claiming that the car has been damaged.
Wanting to get on with his life and given that proceedings were still at a premature stage, Chetcuti had requested the release of his BMW which, he said, would sustain more damage the longer it was garaged.
The Criminal Court greenlighted the release of the vehicle on condition it was adequately insured.
But, given the pending criminal proceedings, no insurance company was willing to provide the necessary cover, leaving Chetcuti with no option but to come up with a third-party hypothec for the amount established by court.
Having satisfied that condition, on July 27, Chetcuti went to the police compound and found that his car had been broken into and dismantled.
He told the court that someone had forced its lock and “meticulously” removed all the upholstery and all items that were removable, including the airbags.
All this happened while the car was meant to be under constant surveillance and when Chetcuti was still presumed innocent.
Chetcuti’s lawyers filed a judicial protest against the Police Commissioner, the State Advocate and the Asset Recovery Bureau, arguing that the BMW was damaged “solely as a result of acts and/or omissions” while the vehicle was held at the police compound.
Chetcuti called upon the protested parties to immediately remedy the situation which was breaching his fundamental right to the enjoyment of his private property.
He was also reserving his right to seek legal remedies and take further action accordingly.
The judicial protest was filed before the First Hall, Civil Court.
Lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran, Charles Mercieca, Stefano Filletti and Maria Margo Zammit Fiorentino signed the judicial act.