local news

The police sacking mystery

MaltaToday can confirm that the three police officers who were sacked last month, will be instituting a court case shortly against the Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister.
The officers had filed a judicial protest against the Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister on May 4, 2001, in which they claimed that the decision to sack them was abusive and in breach of their fundamental and constitutional rights.

In a short and vague counter reply filed by the Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister on May 16, 2001, no explanation was forthcoming for the sacking of the police officers. The Commissioner and the Prime Minister denied the allegations made in the judicial protest and said that the sacking was a result of a recommendation made by the Public Service Commission.

The mystery surrounding this case has baffled members of the police corps. The three individuals, Inspectors Ivan Portelli and David Gatt and Sergeant Michael Buttigieg, were dismissed from the police corps on May 3 after they received a letter from the Police Commissioner.

Two weeks ago MaltaToday revealed that the decision taken by the Police Commissioner was the result of covert operations conducted by the Security Service.

Informed sources told MaltaToday that the dismissal may have come about after the police officers were spotted by Security Service snoops, in the company of high profile individuals. The source added that the individuals had very close links to the judiciary.

Police Commissioner George Grech had declined to comment on the mysterious case and no reply was forthcoming from the Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg.