Inquiry report into police HQ death to reach AG 'imminently'

The magisterial inquiry into the mysterious death of Nicholas Azzopardi has been concluded and should be handed over to the Attorney General "imminently", The Times has learnt.

Mr Azzopardi, who died on April 22, had alleged on his deathbed that he was brutally beaten and thrown off the bastions by the police while in custody earlier that month.

Ten court experts were appointed for the inquiry, which was conducted by Magistrate Anthony Vella and included the testimony of 71 witnesses - from police, family and friends - and four medical reports, government sources said.

The inquiry's conclusion has been relatively swift, considering that over 1,700 inquiries are still pending, the sources added.

This should be welcome news to the Azzopardi family, who have been waiting for an answer to close the hardest chapter in their lives, even though a separate inquiry by Judge Albert Manché, called by the government, has not yet been concluded.

When the story broke four months ago it had gripped the nation, and many will be eager to learn the outcome of the inquiry. Before he died, Mr Azzopardi had said he was 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 of his 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.

A new twist was later given to the story when police sources told The Times 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, Nicholas's father, and his lawyer Toni Abela later questioned the timing of this information, wondering why such a vital piece of information had not surfaced before.

MaltaToday had later reported that one of the officers who had interrogated Mr Azzopardi, Adrian Lia, had been stripped of the medal of honour he had been awarded after it became known he had lied about trying to save a woman from drowning 10 years ago.