A Nationalist Party MP has demanded that Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri hands over reports compiled by an independent police watchdog. 

In a social affairs committee meeting, David Agius flagged how an opposition request for reports by the independent police board, filed three months ago, had gone unheeded. 

Agius said the police board is legally obliged to disclose both its annual reports and its findings on complaints filed before it to the minister concerned and the committee. 

Despite legal amendments granting it wider powers in 2017, the board said in its last available annual report, dating back to 2019, that it had not yet been given the promised additional resources. 

In the report, the board, headed by ex-judge Franco Depasquale, said the fact that the board was composed of just three people was making even forming a quorum for a meeting difficult. 

Prior to the change in the law, administrative staff also counted as board members, the report says. 

"Agius said the police board is legally obliged to disclose both its annual reports and its findings on complaints filed before it to the minister concerned and the committee"

The report also spoke about challenges the board faced in accessing case files that had started under a previous board, prior to the 2017 amendments. 

Last year, the board found that two police officers failed in their duties when they did not arrest gaming consultant Iosif Galea despite Galea being subject to a European Arrest Warrant issued by German police.

The police had said in a statement that the board’s findings did not implicate any of the force’s top brass. 

Despite the statement, the police failed to release the board’s entire report. 

Speaking to Times of Malta, Agius said he and his colleagues will continue to pressure the ministry to give the parliamentary committee the board’s reports. 

“I expect that the law is followed and respect towards parliament and the social affairs committee will be shown by the minister and the board,” Agius said. 

When pressed during last week’s committee meeting, committee chair Rosianne Cutajar denied a suggestion that the minister was purposely withholding the reports. 

Rather, she said, the minister had informed the committee that the reports in question were not ready yet.