Probe into migrants' 'beatings' should be closed this week

The internal police investigation into the alleged beating of two handcuffed immigrants by police officers should be concluded this week, sources close to the investigation told The Times.

The probe opened last week after The Times reported several eyewitnesses saying they had seen police officers beat two immigrants in separate incidents while in handcuffs and defenceless.

The alleged beatings took place between midnight and 3.30 a.m. on June 28. Both the immigrants, Sudanese Suleiman Abubaker and Kaba Konate from the Ivory Coast, were charged a day later with assaulting the police.

Both pleaded guilty to the charges and were given suspended sentences.

Last Sunday, Mr Abubaker denied assaulting the officers. "I didn't want any trouble and I was scared... I didn't say that I was beaten," he told The Sunday Times.

The sources say that all of the main witnesses have been interviewed and the police should be in a position to conclude the investigation by the end of the week.

The eyewitnesses, including Rebecca Filletti, who was arrested on the night of the incident after questioning the police behaviour, said that they had seen Mr Abubaker and Mr Konate being brutally beaten by the police for no reason.

In the case of Mr Konate, eyewitnesses said that the migrant had resisted arrest but had not been violent in any way.

Other eyewitnesses said none of them saw Mr Abubaker behave violently, pointing out that when they arrived on the scene the police were already there. Ms Filletti said: "The man did not put up a fight.

"He merely lay on the ground crying and screaming for them to stop, saying he had done nothing wrong".

Mr Abubaker was interviewed earlier on Wednesday in the presence of human rights lawyer Katrine Camilleri.

mmicallef@timesofmalta.com