Robert Aquilina resigns from Repubblika, Falcone Foundation after domestic violence report

Robert Aquilina has resigned from honorary president and member of NGO Repubblika after he was questioned by police over a domestic violence report.

Aquilina also suspended his representation of the Malta branch of the Falcone Foundation.

In a brief statement, Repubblika said it accepted Aquilina’s resignation.

Aquilina said he resigned from Repubblika to protect his family’s privacy, and to “prevent anyone from using this case to hinder the just cause that Repubblika is fighting for our country.”

The resignation comes a day after Aquilina was summoned to police headquarters in Floriana for questioning concerning an alleged domestic violence incident reported on Friday night.

MaltaToday is informed that an altercation took place in Aquilina’s home, prompting the police officer stationed outside the house to intervene. A police report was then filed against Aquilina.

The duty magistrate, however, refused a police request for Aquilina’s arrest, and instead was summoned to police HQ on Saturday afternoon, where he was interrogated at length. Aquilina was accompanied by his lawyer Arthur Azzopardi.

When approached by MaltaToday on his way into the depot on Saturday, Aquilina declined to comment.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Aquilina denied he did anything wrong. “I deny in the most categorical and absolute way that I have done anything wrong. What I said to the police I will not repeat in public out of respect and love for the privacy of my family members involved.”

He confirmed that the magistrate refused the request for an arrest warrant and that he was sent home after speaking to the police.

“These facts are not without meaning, particularly in cases like this,” he said, criticising Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà for allegedly leaking private details on the situation.

“Even at such a delicate moment for my family, he [Gafà] did not hesitate to leak private information to third parties, so much so that I found photographers waiting for me to enter for the meeting I had with the police,” Aquilina said.

He was referring to a MaltaToday journalist.

Aquilina also spoke about his personal situation, saying that his marriage had faced serious difficulties over the past months and years and the couple will be separating. He asked for his family’s privacy to be respected.