Alex Dalli boasted with a minister how he used weapon to threaten prisoners

Former prison director Alex Dalli had boasted with a minister and government officials how he bullied prisoners into submission by putting a gun in their mouth.

In fresh revelations published by sister newspaper Illum, sources recounted how during a visit to the Corradino Correctional Facility the unnamed minister and his entourage were greeted by Dalli, who had a pistol in his holster.

The newspaper said Dalli boasted how he used the weapon to “threaten and control” prisoners.

He also spoke of the times when he placed the weapon in the mouth of prisoners, particularly those less obedient. The newspaper reported that Dalli had also mentioned the name of at least one prisoner he threatened with the weapon, soon after becoming director.

Dalli, a retired army colonel, suspended himself last week after the third suicide in prison this year. His disciplinarian methods have been praised by some for bringing order in prison but lambasted by welfare organisations that blame his unorthodox methods for the exceptionally high suicide rate among inmates.

A former prison official, Emmanuel Cassar, has lifted the lid on Dalli’s unorthodox methods inside prison, claiming to have witnessed incidents in which the former director used his weapon to threaten prisoners.

The incidents described by Cassar to Illum are being investigated by the police.

Dalli has not commented publicly on the allegations but filed libel proceedings against the newspaper and the former prison guard. The court cases are ongoing.

Meanwhile, at the start of the month, the Ombudsman opened an investigation on his own initiative on 'systemic maladministration' at the CCF.

An Indian national was the third suicide victim inside prison this year. At the start of summer, two Maltese inmates attempted suicide and died some days later at Mater Dei Hospital.

A magisterial inquiry into one of the deaths recommended that criminal action be taken against two warders. The court case against the two female warders started last week.

READ ALSO: New prison boss Robert Brincau has tall order after Dalli departure