Police chief mum on fresh allegations of tampering of evidence

Acting Police Commissioner Ray Zammit has refused to comment on serious allegations that a member of the police force may be involved in the tampering of evidence surrounding the Gzira shooting incident.

MaltaToday yesterday contacted Zammit by phone, asking him to confirm or deny information received by this newspaper on what went on the night that police constable Paul Sheehan fired twice at a hit and run driver.

Zammit, reluctant to answer the questions over the phone, said questions should be sent by email via the Police’s communications office. He insisted on this even after MaltaToday explained the grievous nature of the allegations being made.

In a written reply, Zammit later replied that an investigation was ongoing, failing to confirm, deny or comment on the allegations being made.

“The Police confirms that the questions pertain to an ongoing investigation,” the communications office replied.

MaltaToday’s set of questions revolved around the alleged involvement of police inspector Gabriel Micallef, who was included in a police line-up of suspects who tried to recover an eyewitness’s mobile phone footage of the shooting incident.

Micallef, whose sister is the partner of Sheehan, was also spotted at the Tal-Qroqq tunnels where the ministerial car and the Scotsman’s car came to a stop after Sheehan gave chase.

MaltaToday asked Acting Commissioner of Police Ray Zammit whether he had been informed of suspicions that Micallef was on site before the arrival of the police low-loader; and where the car of Scotsman Stephen Smith had been moved 100 metres away from where it had originally stopped.

The witnesses who say a “mysterious man” asked them to hand over their mobile phone were unable to positively identify the man who approached them in a police line-up, and picked two individuals.

The Opposition has accused Ray Zammit with tampering of evidence after the Scotsman’s car was placed on a low loader before the arrival of the inquiring magistrate and forensic experts. Zammit, on his part, denied ordering the car’s removal, saying he ordered Superintendent Alexandra Mamo to be present on site to order a magisterial inquiry. He added that the low-loader was brought down to take the cars to the CID yard after the magisterial inquiry is launched.

“Although the car was loaded onto the low-loader, Police still stayed on site and an inquiry continued on site,” Zammit said.