Police Inspector arrested, to be charged with abuse of power

UPDATED | A Police Inspector has reportedly been arrested and is expected to be charged with abuse of power.

Police Inspector Jeffrey Cilia has been arrested and is expected to be charged in court with abuse of power, after he allegedly assaulted three young men when under the influence of alcohol.

The inspector, who is stationed at the CID, was involved in a violent altercation with three young men in Paceville in the early hours of Thursday.

During his assault, one of the three youngsters tried to film the incident with a mobile phone, but the off-duty Police Inspector pounced on the youth, snatching the phone.

A police sergeant and two police officers who arrived on the scene from the St. Julian's Police Station told the Inspector that he had to hand over the phone.

The Inspector was later called in for questioning at the headquarters and detained. The investigations are reportedly being led by Police Commissioner John Rizzo.

According to witnesses, the inspector was under the influence of alcohol and allegedly pounced on the youths, when one of them spat on the floor.

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cilia ............forsa flahar tohrog il verita u tihu li haqek ghax cctv mintiex ha tmerieh
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One might ask the originator of this altercation of why he needed to spit, in public, in the first place. Quite obvious he has a pretty low standard of upbringing.
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In my opinion the police inspector Cilia has acted correctly! I mean what should you do if you find vandals breaking things and these vandals have the cheek to spit at you !!! I think these vandals should be thrown into prision. The police inspector might have over reacted but this is completely justified. I think that the maltese judiciary system is completely wrong and has made a serious mistake accusing a competent inspector for abuse of power! These stupidities make one loose faith in the our legislation enforcement! This police inspector should take this further up perhaps to a more competent court and sue the court or whoever has sued him for damages and seek compensation!
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Zack Depasquale
Minghajr ma qieghed niggustifika l-agir ta'dan l-ufficjal tal-pulizija u li jekk jinstab hati ghandu jsir gustizzja mieghu bhal kull cittadin iehor. Imma iridu nammettu lkoll li certu zaghzagh saru jqazghu kull fejn jersqu. Iridu nammettu ukoll li m'hiex qieghda taghddi gimgha wahda minghajr ma nisimghu li weggha xi pulizija fil-qadi ta dmirijietu.Kif ukoll certu decizjonijiet li qieghdin jinghataw mill-qorti huma tad-dahq jew tal-biki:fejn persuna li tinghata rigal min membru tal-familja biex jitqabbez kju tinghtha sitt xhur habs u persuna li kwazi qatlet zewgt itfal tohrog tigri barra qisu qatt ma kien xejn.
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Mela issa ghandna Spettur li abbuza mil-poter...x'tista tghid??? Tidhaq, tibki, tikkonfondi, tirrabja, tkanta...etc etc etc. Sur Kbir nispera li ma l-akkuza t'abbuz ta' poter jigi akkuzat bir-reati l-ohra relatati mal-kaz kif dejjem isir mal-popolin!!! Dan x'kulur hu Blu jew Ahmar?? Biss nahseb li din tintesa bhal ma ntesew kazi ohrajn fejn jidhlu l-membri tal-Korp. Nisperaw li dan peress li hu stazzjonat ic-CID ma kienx imnizzel xol?? Biss il-poplu zgur li mhux mignun!!
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Ian George Walker
Look on the bright side - the officers who responded to the call seem to have acted correctly, even though they were facing one of their superiors.
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jekk tridu taraw kif vera il pulizija jamlu li iridu moru il hamrun u taraw isuper spetur li em. kullhadd jaff xhobz jikoll u il kumisarju jaff bieh imma donnu min wahda jithol u lohra johrog. jekk vera tezizti xi forma ta serjetta ghamlu lghases bil cameras u sound. u il publiku bidriet li uza mob bil camera u sound waqt li ikunu lghasa. customer care ta razzet animali. jamlulek biex int taqbizlek u mux bie jejnuk. jekk il kumisarju irid lordni lewwel tridu tkunu ta ezemoju ghax pajjiez arbin jamlu bhalna basta qedin gewwa lewropa.
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If it transpires that the officer concerned did abuse his authority then this is a bad day for the police corps.
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I have completely lost faith in the police force.
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Il-Gustizzja trid issir mill-KBIR saz-zghir u mhux iz-zghir dejjem jaqla minn ghand kullhadd. Min qied hemm biex suppost jaghti l-ezempju u jara biex l-affarijiet ma issurx, il-kastig tieghu ghandu ikun ferm akbar. Il-Gustizzja ma ghandix ikollha ucuh, kulur, religjon, sess jew pozizzjoni.
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The Courts should ensure that this police arrogance and misuse of power should be curtailed.
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Does the inspector has to undress before being interrogsted at the Depot? Was the inspector on duty when this accident happened?
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I may be wrong, but I believe that when an ordinary member of the public is arrested, he usually gets named, doesn't he? Why should it be different with someone just because he is in the police?