The Malta Police Union has added pressure on authorities to order an independent probe into the police's failure to arrest a man wanted in Germany. 

Iosif Galea was allowed to leave Malta multiple times despite being subject to a European Arrest Warrant and was subsequently arrested in Italy while on holiday. 

Home Affairs Byron Camilleri told parliament earlier this week that the police's complaint board is investigating the matter.

But the Malta Police Union said on Friday it “will not accept” any inquiry findings by a board which is not independent, or seen to be independent.

The union said the allegations being made against the force and its members were "very serious" and might have repercussions on one or more of its members.

On Thursday, civil society group Repubblika filed a judicial protest against the Prime Minister and Camilleri, calling on them to order an investigation into Galea's case to establish all the facts.

Repubblika president Robert Aquilina said although the government had ordered its own internal inquiry, this was "not enough".

The Malta Police Union said in its statement that the police complaint board did not have enough statutory powers to investigate, especially criminal matters.

For any inquiry to establish the truth and avoid frame-up or cover-up, “a proper and real independent inquiry” able to administer an oath to any witness requiring them to give evidence and produce documents in their possession or under their custody, should be set up.

“This is another step, the Malta Police Union is taking to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to be done,” the union said.

Galea, a former Malta Gaming authority official, is under arrest in Italy as part of an investigation into tax evasion by German authorities. 

He had been subject to a European Arrest Warrant since early last year, but police sources told Times of Malta he travelled out of Malta at least two other times before he was finally arrested in Italy in May.