Allegations that three police officers abducted and assaulted foreign nationals are disgusting, disappointing and infuriating, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said on Monday.

"The alleged incidents are unacceptable, not only because they allegedly took place from within the police, but are also disgusting for our own humanity," Camilleri said in parliament.

"These allegations do not reflect the behaviour of our 5,000 officers in the various disciplined forces. Most of them work diligently and would not even dream of engaging in the practices that were alleged to have happened."

He said the alleged behaviour was even more infuriating for officers who have managed to build public trust through constant hard work. That trust could have been dented after these allegations.

On Sunday and Monday, three young police constables were charged with abducting and grievously injuring foreign nationals in Qormi.

Rica Mifsud Grech, 22, Jurgen Falzon, 24, and Luca Brincat, 20, were arrested on Friday following an internal report.

It was alleged that last month, on multiple occasions, they would go on patrol, pick a foreign national at random, take him to an uninhabited place at Qormi, beat him up and then abandon him there.

All three have pleaded not guilty but were denied bail.

Body cameras, anonymous reporting effective

"Let me be clear and categoric. None of us will in any way tolerate such alleged behaviour. We will not let a few officers dent the good work of the majority," Camilleri said on Monday.

He said that the recent introduction of body cameras for all officers and a system of internal, anonymous reporting were proving to be more effective in the pursuit of justice.

One victim threatened with knife

Mifsud Grech and Falzon were arraigned on Sunday, but Brincat was arraigned on Monday after being discharged from Mater Dei Hospital where he needed treatment after complaining of chest pains.

During Monday's arraignment, the court heard that the alleged violence had taken place at least three times. One of the victims was identified before Sunday's arraignment, but a second one was identified only after the arraignment of the other two constables.

Police also had footage in which the accused was filmed threatening a yet unidentified third victim with a knife.

Another victim allegedly lost consciousness after the beating.

In a press conference on Sunday, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa explained how on Friday he was informed of the alleged abuse by the constables, who were arrested immediately. 

He said none of the alleged victims had ever made any reports to the police.