No evidence of criminal acts by prison authorities following abuse claims - Gafa

Police have found no evidence of criminal abuse by the prison authorities, following a report by the Ombudsman alleging degrading treatment of inmates.

Speaking during an interview with Andrew Azzopardi, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà said a police investigation into the allegations detailed in the Ombudsman’s report had not turned up any evidence of criminality.

Gafà said the Ombudsman had refused to identify the names of the inmates he had spoken to about the alleged abuse.

The police commissioner said that through its own investigation, the police managed to identify some of the inmates, but after speaking to them, as well as to “NGOs”, they were unable to pin down any criminal acts by the prison authorities.

Released in January, the Ombudsman’s report notes that during the tenure of former prision director Alex Dalli, Corradino Correctional Facility was plagued by systemic maladministration and degrading treatment of prisoners.

Former prisons director Alex Dalli (centre) with prime minister Robert Abela. File photo.

The Ombudsman’s probe, 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.

Probe into senior official ongoing

Gafà also touched upon claims that a senior police official stole a second-hand bumper from a police facility.

The police commissioner said investigations into the allegations are still ongoing.

Assistant commissioner Malcolm Bondin, the official in question, was suspended following the claims.

Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Bondin. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

Gafà said the allegations were brought to light through an internal whistleblowing system he introduced in 2020.

Prior to that, police officers caught filing anonymous reports against their colleagues could even be subject to disciplinary measures, Gafa said.

Drug hauls, encrypted chats

On the local drug trade, Gafà said this year, a record 477kgs of cannabis and cocaine intended for local consumption had been confiscated by the police.

The police commissioner also gave his views on the proliferation of online grooming of minors via video gaming platforms.

He warned that once communication between the minor and abuser shifted off these platforms to encrypted chats, the police would lose all visibility of what was going on.

“When you go to the service providers [to ask them for the chats], they say that not even they have visibility”.

Although the police are fighting the secrecy inherent in encrypted chats, Gafà lamented that law enforcement does not appear to have much support on the matter within the European Parliament.

Times of Malta in August reported how several of Malta’s MEPs oppose a proposed EU law to combat child abuse that digital rights activists say could introduce mass surveillance.

The debate centres on a proposal for tech platforms - once instructed by a judge - to introduce blanket scans of private chats, messages and e-mails to detect material linked to child abuse, including pornographic material and grooming attempts by sexual predators.

Gafà told Azzopardi that, in a recent address at a Europol conference, he had spoken about the need to balance society’s need for privacy with its need for security.

Hospitals case

The police commissioner was also asked to weigh in on what impact the international arbitration tribunal decision on the hospitals concession could have on investigations into the case.

Gafà gave the proceedings little investigative weight, saying they were not carried out “within a criminal framework.

He said criminal procedures in the hospitals' case remain ongoing.

Steward Health Care's contract to run three public hospitals was terminated in 2023. File photo.

Ex-prime minister Joseph Muscat and a slew of other government officials are among those charged.

Defence lawyers are pushing for the case to be dismissed over the refusal of financial crimes expert Jeremy Harbinson to testify.

Harbinson was the leading financial crimes expert engaged in a years-long inquiry into the failed Vitals-Steward hospitals deal.

The inquiry recommended criminal charges against Muscat, his right-hand man, Keith Schembri and several other people, ranging from politicians to civil servants, lawyers and entrepreneurs. All are pleading not guilty to charges.