An internal investigation which found that two police officers failed in their duty to arrest Iosif Galea despite the fact that he was being targeted by a European Arrest Warrant, was merely a “public relations exercise”, one of the officers claimed. 

The officer, an inspector who headed the Sirene Bureau at the time when the gaming consultant was allowed to travel in and out of Malta in spite of the warrant issued against him by German authorities, has made the claim in a judicial protest filed against the Police Commissioner.

That internal inquiry by the independent board chaired by Judge Emeritus Franco Depasquale was tasked with the investigation but only after the Police Commissioner had conducted a “full internal investigation” to ensure that he and “his close few” would not be shouldered with administrative responsibility in the matter. 

And although the published conclusions of that inquiry only made reference to “officials”, media reports subsequently pointed at two inspectors, including the protesting party, his lawyer David Bonello argued. 

This was certainly a matter of concern when considering that it was only the Police Commissioner who had a full copy of the inquiry report.

Moreover, in spite of requesting a copy at least three times, the inspector’s request has been “ignored” and his only information is that obtained through the statement published by the police and media reports on the subject.

Although nowhere in the published conclusions were the “officials” named, his superiors had kickstarted internal procedures in his regard, the inspector’s lawyer continued. 

The protesting party was now calling upon the police commissioner to halt such procedures until the targeted officer is handed a full copy of the inquiry’s report and granted some time to go through it. 

The judicial protest was filed by lawyer David Bonello in the First Hall, Civil Court.