The police commissioner has ordered an investigation into the intervention of the police at a Fgura council meeting on Tuesday evening, which led to councillor Mark Lombardo being escorted out of the building.

In a statement, the police said the investigation will, among other matters, seek to establish whether the police had the jurisdiction to intervene in this case.

The police said this was the first time that such an investigation had been launched.

Directives for the future would be issued according to the outcome of the investigation.

In a judicial protest against mayor Anthony Degiovanni and the Police Commissioner, Mr Lombardo said the police had stopped him from fulfilling his duties as an elected local councillor for Fgura.

The police said yesterday that Paola police station had received a request for assistance from the Fgura mayor so that a council meeting could continue.

The police explained that the request was made because, according to the mayor, one councillor was refusing to abide by a motion which said that he should leave.

The police added that on the orders of the District Superintendent, the police went to the council offices and escorted the councillor off the premises.

In a statement, Fgura council yesterday affirmed its solidarity and trust in Fgura mayor Anthony Degiovanni and strongly deplored the attack on his integrity by councillor Mark Lombardo and major exponents of the Nationalist Party.

The council categorically denied that the mayor had falsified any motion or signatures on any motion and affirmed that the action taken was legally and procedurally correct.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party`s Fgura committee condemned the manner in which mayor Degiovanni had treated Nationalist councillors, especially Mark Lombardo.

The attitude of the Labour councillors was nothing but a desperate attempt to intimidate the Nationalist councillors, the committee said, as it expressed support for the three Fgura councillors Charles Bonello, Mr Lombardo and Alfred Debono.