Cassola files police standards complaint over refusal to press charges against Azzopardi

The independent political candidate Arnold Cassola has requested a Professional Standards Board investigation over the refusal by police to prosecute the former Infrastructure Malta boss Fredrick Azzopardi when he filed a report back in 2020.

Cassola said Azzopardi, who at the time headed the IM works agency, should have been charged with crimes against the environment over abusive works carried out in the Qirda valley.

On 7 January 2020, Cassola filed a criminal complaint to the police headquarters and the Ħaż-Żebbuġ police station, to investigate Azzopardi in his personal capacity, for having ordered illegal and damaging works in the scheduled Wied Qirda, a Natura 2000 site.

“Azzopardi’s orders amount to environmental crimes. Despite various reminders, Azzopardi was not prosecuted. As a result the contravenor escaped scot-free whilst the Maltese taxpayer has to bear the costs of the environmental damage caused and any fines imposed on Infrastructure Malta. This is unjust.

“In view of this I request an investigation into police inaction and/or collusion or negligence for not investigating further and prosecuting Azzopardi personally,” Prof. Cassola said in his letter to the PSB.

The contractor that carried out the Qirda roadworks was fined by a court for ignoring a stop order issued by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) over a breach of environmental regulations.

But it was Infrastructure Malta, despite negative publicity on the works being carried out, that ordered contractor Anthony Camilleri of AC Group to continue with works at Wied Qirda even when told to stop by the ERA.

Infrastructure Malta disregarded the stop-and-comply order issued by ERA by ordering its contractor to continue with the roadworks.

The tit-for-tat began in November 2019, after ERA officials inspected the site and found that roadworks were being carried out in the area. A first inspection was carried out on 14 November 2019, and a stop order was issued the next day. But works continued nonetheless as a second inspection two days later revealed. Subsequent inspections revealed the. contractor had continued with its works.

An ERA official testified that the contractor said that he was receiving orders from Infrastructure Malta, specifically from its former CEO Fredrick Azzopardi and David Vassallo.

Azzopardi admitted ordering the works, claiming the stop order implied that no work could be done apart from that related to the strengthening of the road, in effect assuming that the works were not subject to the stop order.

The court said any contestation of ERA’s orders should have been done through legal means, and not by “flagrantly ignoring” the stop order.

It also said it was perplexed by the joint statement issued by ERA and Infrastructure Malta, to say the stop order did not stop the safety works, but then was not revoked by the ERA.

Steve Zammit Lupi, a local councillor who was among the first to raise alarm bells over Wied Qirda, said the contractor was fined €36,000 and IM €50,000 for the works.

Moviment Graffitti, the NGO that also brought attention to the environmental damage at Wied Qirda, said that Fredrick Azzopardi should be similarly brought to court to be held accountable for his actions in the case.