Repubblika: Police refusing to charge former public officials with obstruction of justice

The police have substantial evidence to charge a number of former senior officials in court, but are failing to do so, Repubblika President Robert Aquilina said.

“The police corps have become a marketing company – car liveries, new uniforms. I see no objection to this, but the corps have remained the same, protecting a certain class of citizens, criminals and friends of friends,” Aquilina said.

The NGO president said the police have substantial evidence to charge former Deputy Commissioner Silvio Valletta, former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, and alleged Caruana Galizia mastermind Yorgen Fenech.

Example of this evidence, added Aquilina, is the correspondence between Keith Schembri and Yorgen Fenech which includes a copy of the presidential pardon offered by the State to Melvin Theuma.

“They divulged police information on the investigations surrounding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia,” Aquilina said. “one of them is Lawrence Cutajar, and I challenged the police commissioner to face journalists.”

Aquilina recalled how the state's key witness, Vince Muscat, testified under oath several times about how Chris Cardona was involved in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.

The Police have not prosecuted him in court again, he insisted, despite abundant evidence.

"To the Commissioner: you are degrading not only yourself, but the Governing Body and our country," Aquilina said.