Minister: Wanted notice blunder by police should not happen again

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said the police should ensure a blunder which saw them issuing a wanted notice for an individual who was already in prison is not repeated again.

“These kinds of mistakes are pitiful, especially at a time when the police are enjoying more trust among people,” Camilleri told the House, in reply to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Joe Giglio.

Earlier this month lawyer Jason Azzopardi revealed Marziq Abdelaziz, a man wanted by the police in connection with an ongoing court case, was found in prison.

Last week, Ryan Dimech, a self-employed truck driver, was only informed of a pending court case when a statement was issued by the police. Speaking to MaltaToday, Dimech said the issue resolves around a family court case, and neither him nor his lawyers were informed of the sitting.

The minister conceded the first case was a mistake from the police’s end, insisting any decision which should be taken “must be taken”.

“I don’t want these kinds of situations to happen again,” he said.

Camilleri said the second incident was not a mistake from the police’s end, and they were acting on the order of a magistrate, after the person in question was not present during a court sitting.