‘Nothing less than shameful’: NGOs blast handling of Lassana Cisse case

The murder of Lassana Cisse took place against a wider backdrop of institutionalised racism and the constant dehumanisation of migrants, a group of NGOs said on Thursday.

In a statement, the organisations welcomed the sentencing of Lorin Scicluna for his racially motivated violence against May Malimi, as well as the judge’s condemnation of racist behaviour. Ultimately, Scicluna was handed an eight year prison sentence for grievously injuring May Malimi in a hit-and-run incident on 1 February 2019.

The organisations insisted that far more had been expected following the brutal events of 6 April 2019.

After seven years of waiting for justice, the organisations lamented that Scicluna’s “meticulous planning” of the manhunt that night would remain unpunished. Hopes for a trial that would lead to his unequivocal conviction had been dashed, they said, along with expectations of a much stronger condemnation of such acts of hatred and violence.

The organisations also criticised the Attorney General’s Office for failing to dedicate its full resources to the case, describing the shortcomings as “nothing less than shameful.”

They argued that these failures had resulted in a lesser punishment for a “dangerous man” like Scicluna, while raising serious questions about the prosecution’s ability to handle cases of such significance.

“Who will be held accountable for this injustice? It is clear that Malta’s prosecution services are in desperate need of a shake-up,” the statement read.

The organisations described 5 November as a “bitter moment for those in Malta who value justice and human dignity,” arguing that the country’s flawed prosecution and judicial system had only managed to deliver partial justice.

They also quoted Regine Nguini from the African Media Association Malta: “Who protects the Black worker returning home after a late shift? The Black student walking alone at night? The Black woman waiting at a bus stop? The Black child growing up in a country that is also their home?”

The statement concluded by urging the public to reflect on what the verdict means for Lassana, May, Ibrahim and Muhammed, all of whom were victims of the violence that night.

The organisations also called on the authorities to seriously examine the government’s willingness and ability to protect everyone living in Malta.

The statement was signed by aditus foundation, African Media Association Malta, University of Malta Professor Maria Pisani, Men Against Violence, Blue Door Education, Drachma, Paulo Freire Institute Foundation, PEN Malta, Migrant Women Association Malta, Spark 15, The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Allied Rainbow Communities, Dance Beyond Borders Foundation, Women’s Rights Foundation, LGBTI Gozo, Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement, Association for Justice, Equality and Peace, Moviment Graffitti, JRS Malta, University of Malta Professor Andrew Azzopardi, Checkpoint Malta, Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-Żgħażagħ, and Repubblika.