Editorial

When he took on the post of Home Affairs and Justice Minister just under four months ago, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici knew he was not in for an easy ride. But he probably did not imagine that within such a short time he would be facing not one, but two claims of police brutality in relation to individuals they had arrested.

On April 22, Nicholas Azzopardi died in police custody. Police said he jumped from the bastion behind the Floriana headquarters. He alleged on his deathbed that he was beaten and thrown off. Almost three months on, no inquiry finding has been forthcoming - neither the magisterial one, nor the additional one headed by a judge. We have not even been informed of the autopsy result.

The latest involves a Sudanese immigrant who claims he was assaulted by police while handcuffed in Paceville yesterday week. Thankfully - for the sake of getting to the bottom of this snake-riddled pit more quickly this time - it is not just his word against theirs, since a number of eyewitnesses have come forward to support his claims.

One told The Times: "He was in the foetal position, handcuffed and the police were kicking him and slammed him against their van." It this is true - and there appears to be no logical reason why this woman, or the other witnesses, would lie - the policemen concerned must be dismissed without delay. And then prosecuted as swiftly as the immigrant.

The reaction to this latest act of those who represent our society has been encouraging: Dr Mifsud Bonnici in an interview with The Sunday Times today is categorical: "Police should not beat anyone, especially if they have managed to arrest that person." Labour leader Joseph Muscat has passed similar comment and the Chamber of Advocates also felt the need to come forward and call for strenuous positive action.

The reaction of society itself - or at least a worryingly significant proportion of it - however, has been anything but encouraging. Too many have sought to defend these actions, in the mistaken belief that by doing so they are somehow standing by the police force. They would be standing by the police force if they help weed out its rotten elements.

Everyone accepts that the police have a difficult job to do and that the large majority do it with honour. But this is all the more reason why none of them can be permitted to break the law they are there to uphold. And they must use their power with discretion, not oppression. The values of courtesy, respect, and a sense of assisting the public must be at the forefront of each of their minds. This has not been the case, enough, of late.

There is another, immensely troubling, feature of this latest case: the speed with which the man who was allegedly beaten was processed in court and sentenced.

The fact he admitted to the charges so readily, the fact that no mention was made during the hearing of claims that he himself was assaulted, the fact that witnesses attempting to make their voice heard were not heeded by the authorities, all point to a process of 'justice' one would expect to find in countries that many people with humanitarian or refugee status have risked life and limb to escape from. One does not expect, and should not accept, finding this state of affairs in Malta.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici, commendably, has expressed a determination to resolve these issues. For the sake of the values we profess to believe in, we must make sure we support him.