Busuttil promises police investigation against Mizzi and Schembri under PN government

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has pledged he will launch a police investigation into the actions of minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri, over their holdings in an offshore Panama company.

Busuttil told activists and supporters in Pietà Wednesday evening, that if elected he would restore the reputation and management of Malta’s police corps, saying that under Labour the direction of the police had been turned upside down.

“We want the Commissioner of Police to be appointed with the support of two-thirds of the House of Representatives, to have the approval of both sides of the House of the person leading the police force,” Busuttil said.

Labour has appointed four police chiefs in the past four years, apart from having not renewed John Rizzo’s tenure at the start of 2013.

“You all know our criticism of the Commissioner of the Police particularly… instead of leading the corps to protect the public, the police protects this government… People are feeling that the direction of the police has been turned upside down; and this one is the fifth commissioner of police in four years.”

Busuttil specifically told his audience today that the public today had lost its peace of mind in the face of mounting security issues.

“People are not comfortable at all with the security of our country,” Busuttil said, making specific reference to a recent case in Sliema where a parent suspected that their child had been nearly abducted by a woman asking directions to a public lavatory. “Security in Sliema, a woman was telling me, has become a problem, with people being careful even at what time they leave their house.”

Busuttil also pointed out the fact that perpetrators of car bombs had not yet been brought to justice. “These events are real, the people are talking about them… but why doesn’t anyone ever get caught?” the PN leader asked.

Busuttil also delved into the government inquiry launched into allegations that the Gozo police allowed a suspect to change a police statement accusing a drug trafficker, after two government ministers met up in Gozo to discuss the matter with the parent of the suspected trafficker.

“The police took not steps against the suspect, and there was ministerial involvement so that action is not taken. In this case an inquiry with no clear terms of reference and led by a former Labour candidate is set up, while the case dealing with a Nationalist MP [CapitalOne] was an inquiry led by three retired judges,” Busuttil said.

“Why hasn’t the prime minister sent for his ministers and demand to know who the two responsible are? It seems to be yet another attempt at sweeping things under the carpet.”