LESA officer who deleted contraventions employed by Transport Malta after ‘public call’

Transport Malta has said that an official employed with its enforcement unit despite a string of investigations during his time at LESA was engaged after a public call.

“The employee in question was engaged with a clean police conduct following an open public call,” a spokesperson said.

MaltaToday revealed on Sunday that a former regional enforcement officer at the Local Enforcement Agency (LESA), joined the Transport Malta enforcement unit, despite facing a number of investigations connected to his previous role.

The individual in question is facing disciplinary proceedings after having deleted a number of contraventions issued to politicians, their aides, business people and former top LESA officials from the agency’s system.

The deleted contraventions range from exceeding the speed limit, to parking on double yellow lines.

The individual, known to MaltaToday, is also facing investigations over alleged sexual harassment during his time at LESA, while also facing court proceedings over breach of data protection on his place of work.

Despite the serious allegations, the man was employed with the transport authority, and is currently a law enforcement Officer with TM’s motorcycle unit.

A Transport Malta spokesperson said the authority is not "aware of any ongoing investigation" into the individual’s actions.

Questions as to when he was employed with TM and whether the authority feels it appropriate to have a law enforcement official with these serious claims hanging over his head, were left unanswered.

MaltaToday had also reached out to LESA Chief Executive Officer Svetlick Flores, who refused to comment on any of the ongoing investigations and on the individual’s departure from the agency.

When reports on the cancellation of fines were first published last December, Flores had said that disciplinary proceedings had been started immediately. “As a precautionary measure, LESA also removed the person from the role until disciplinary proceedings are concluded. The process is currently under way.”