Dead man's family are interviewed by magistrate

The family of Nicholas Azzopardi, who alleged on his deathbed that he was brutally beaten and thrown off the bastions by police while in custody, has been interviewed by the magistrate heading one of the inquiries into the case, raising questions about when the probe will be concluded.

Mr Azzopardi's father, Joe, said yesterday he and his wife had been called in for an interview by the magistrate, along with his son's former wife and her mother on Wednesday.

The brother, Reno, had already given the magistrate a statement before 38-year-old Azzopardi died. However, this was the first time that the rest of the family was interviewed, according to the father.

The magistrate, is also said to have requested a copy of the video recording, part of which was released by the family during a press conference two weeks ago, in which the victim is seen recounting his alleged ordeal while in intensive care.

Both the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister, who were roped into the case after the allegations became public, said they were informed that the inquiry would be concluded two weeks ago. But there have been no development since, and the fresh interrogations suggest it could be a while before the probe is concluded.

Mr Azzopardi was questioned by police on suspicion of child abuse on April 8. A day later an official statement was issued saying that a man in police custody was critical after falling some two storeys in a failed escape.

Before dying, however, Mr Azzopardi told his family, his lawyer and the magistrate conducting an inquiry into his fall that he had been beaten and thrown off the bastions by the police.

He said he had been taunted and beaten in the lock-up by two policemen. He admitted that he retaliated against one of the interrogators, crushing him against the lock-up's metal door. In retaliation, an officer, possibly trained in martial arts, flung a side kick, breaking four ribs and puncturing his lung. After that, the deceased had told the family he lost consciousness and only came to in hospital 10 days later.

Recently a new twist was given to the story when police sources were reported by The Times saying that an officer escorting Mr Azzopardi was treated in hospital for scratches on his forearms and chest injuries as a result of trying to prevent him jumping over the bastions.

Joe Azzopardi and his lawyer Toni Abela later questioned the timing of this information, wondering why such a vital piece of information had not surfaced before. This week, Malta Today reported that one of the officers that had interrogated Mr Azzopardi, Adrian Lia, had been stripped of the medal of honour he had been awarded after it became known that he had lied about trying to save a woman from drowning 10 years ago.