Evidence on police inspector’s shady connections presented in court

MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan exhibited several internal police documents linking police inspector Elton Taliana with notorious criminals in court today.

Balzan was testifying in libel proceedings filed against MaltaToday journalist Raphael Vassallo by Taliana about an article linking the inspector to arson attacks on Balzan’s residence at the time.

“I don’t know Elton Taliana, but some time later, a third party contacted me in confidence saying that Elton’s private life involved persons involved in arms importation and prostitution. This source is a very trustworthy and credible person so I decided to communicate this directly to the then Police Commissioner John Rizzo, telling him everything I knew. I revealed the identity of the source to Rizzo on the condition that he does not compromise or prejudice this source.

“The title of the article which said that inspector Taliana was being investigated for the arson attack was true,” Balzan told the court.

Balzan said former police commissioner John Rizzo had committed the error of approaching his source, who later decided not to speak about Taliana.

“Apart from that, I was contacted by a police officer who was retired at the time, who had explained what had happened on the day of the incident at my house. The attack happened at 3:30am-3:45am, and the officer explained that he was to leave the police station at 3:30am. The time of his departure was only available internally. The police station was then only manned by a new constable who didn’t know all the procedures. Taliana would have been aware of these details,” Balzan said.

“The information from third parties was that the attack happened at exactly the same time when the changeover took place. I spoke to Rizzo two years later about this information,” Balzan said.

The article in question was published some time after an investigation was taking place into the wrongful arrest of Darryl Luke Borg, in which Elton Taliana was involved. Balzan told the court that he had received documents showing that Taliana socialised with Borg and other shady characters convicted of drugs and theft.

“I was later informed that Taliana’s brother was the owner of an apartment that was also used as a brothel. I passed this on to Peter Paul Zammit, the Commissioner of Police at the time,” Balzan said.

Balzan told the court that the police was given footage of Taliana’s brother outside a private bank, waiting for someone to withdraw money from the ATM and then being handed the cash. “Why is this all relevant? I began to have serious doubts about Taliana’s character. I had met with Peter Paul Zammit and asked him why no steps had been taken against him, in spite of all this evidence. He did not answer.”

Balzan exhibited copies of reports from November 2007 and a statement taken from Inspector Taliana by police inspector Haber. “The most important thing, however is the note from the police file which says that Taliana was moonlighting as a bouncer in Pacevile, imported firearms and had taken part in the arson of a residence. This note was written before my meeting with Rizzo.”

“It was only after the Darryl Luke Borg case emerged that I felt that a reference should be made to the arson incident. Not to mention the fact that he was not only a police inspector but also a member of a Cabinet minister’s security detail. I hadn’t been aware that Taliana was on Tonio Borg’s security detail before I spoke to Rizzo,” Balzan said.

According to one report exhibited by Balzan, Taliana had been a doorman at the XS club in Victoria, Gozo. Investigations also showed that Taliana had two ID cards, one for Malta and one for Gozo.

Balzan exhibited a series of photos of Taliana in the company of several known criminals, some of whom were jailed for drugs offences, others for theft. “These are all in the possession of the police, but these things remain hidden. I do not know what has been done with regards to these issues.”

The defence attempted to derail the defendant’s testimony, asking whether he was aware of when Taliana was made inspector. Balzan said that he did not know, but “what I know is that he was not worthy of being appointed inspector in the first place”.

It was at this point that Taliana's lawyer Joe Zammit Maempel told the court that Balzan needed a psychiatrist. Balzan told the court if that was the case, then perhaps he should stop giving evidence. 

Zammit Maempel then proceeded to ask if Taliana's estranged wife was Balzan's source, to which Balzan answered that he would not reveal his source. 

Asked if he was aware that Taliana had "never been investigated by the police", Balzan referred to the documents exhibited in court which said otherwise.

The case continues.