New Prison Board chairman appointed

The government has appointed a new chairman to the Prison Board of Visitors to replace Mario Felice, who last March resigned after a sour dispute with the prison director over the treatment of an inmate.

Lawyer Ivan Mifsud will take on the role of chairman, sources at the Home Affairs Ministry told The Times. The other members of the board are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Dr Felice had resigned a few days before the general election but was asked to remain in office until April 7, by which time somebody else should have been appointed.

Consultations took longer than expected and the former chairman agreed to continue until a replacement was found.

He had resigned after prison director Sandro Gatt decided to place Melchior Spiteri in a maximum security cell early last month after a "tip-off" that he planned to escape just days before the March 8 general election, an allegation which Mr Spiteri has denied in court.

Dr Felice questioned the move, pointing out that the prison director was only authorised to take such action for precautionary security measures and in extraordinary circumstances.

"I have given this a lot of consideration but there comes a time where you're either complicit or you have to call a spade a spade and let the authorities face the reality of things and assume some responsibility for it," Dr Felice had told The Times.

This is not the first time he had resigned his post.

In January, the board stepped down en bloc over lack of dialogue with the prison's management, which it felt inhibited its functions, before resuming its duties.

On Tuesday, Dr Felice testified in a court case in which Mr Spiteri is accused of threatening public officers in March.

Dr Felice said it was wholly irresponsible to place a prisoner, going through emotional distress and who had cut his arms shortly before, in a room where there was a two-metre long cable.