Mark Micallef
Police officer suspended, others still on duty over migrants' beating claims
Suleiman Abubaker showing how he was tied to a chair.
A police officer has been suspended in connection with the alleged beating of two handcuffed migrants last June, according to sources.
The other officers allegedly involved in the incident, however, are still on duty, sources told The Sunday Times.
When contacted, the police refused to say whether any officers had been suspended even though at least one is expected to be charged shortly.
The internal inquiry into the incident has now been concluded and its findings have been passed on to the Attorney General, the police confirmed.
Witnesses had mentioned as many as five officers being involved in the beating of one of the migrants, Sudanese Suleiman Abubaker, and another three in that of the other, a 26-year-old Ivorian, Kaba Konate.
However, police sources said that only one officer was consistently identified by the main witnesses.
When asked whether any police officers had been suspended or disciplined in the past months, the police said: "Until the Attorney General's decision is received, it is regretted that your queries cannot be answered at this stage", adding that the findings of the internal inquiry were "exempt (from press scrutiny) according to law".
The incidents, which happened a few hours apart, took place in Paceville's main square in the early hours of June 28, after police had arrested the migrants.
Both migrants received suspended sentences after pleading guilty to assaulting the police in speedy court proceedings. But several witnesses, one of whom was actually arrested on the night of the incident after questioning the police's methods, said that they had not seen the immigrants behave violently. On the contrary, police had beaten them for no reason, they said.
Interviewed a week after the incident, Mr Abubaker insisted that he was never violent and that he only admitted to assaulting the officers in court because he wanted to get the ordeal over and done with.
Similarly, in the case of Mr Konate, the witnesses said that he had resisted arrest but had not been violent in any way.
The internal inquiry was launched immediately after The Times ran the story but the probe was stalled by July's public transport strike.
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Corinne Vella
Aug 18th 2008, 17:19
Denis Catania: You're only saying that because you believe what they said in court. Why do you not also believe what was said publicly by eye witnesses, those same ones whose statements to the police led to the suspension of one of the officers involved?
The two men who pleaded guilty in court were apparently falsely accused and apparently pleaded guilty to have the matter over and done with.
Your adopted country would understand the unfairness of their situation. Why would you expect any less of your country of origin?
Incidentally, I wonder how long it's going to take you to learn how to spell my name. It's Corinne not Corrine.
Denis Catania@yahoo.com
Aug 18th 2008, 01:03
@Corrine Vella: They already admitted their guilt. So what do you want to happen? Make believe that it didn't happen. When a criminal gets assaulted by the police, the police should also be charged and convicted. If a jury finds them guilty, or if they admit and plead guilty.Then they too, should get sentenced. Mr Abubkar and Mr Konate pleaded guilty and got sentenced. For assaulting a police officers, I think they got a slap on the wrist. As far as their police record. It should show that they can be dangerous to the authorities.
Corinne Vella
Aug 17th 2008, 21:37
What's going to happen to the court sentences and the police records of Suleiman Abubaker and Kaba Konate?
Franco Farrugia
Aug 17th 2008, 10:50
Well, lately we have been hearing and reading about many instances where those whose task is to uphold the law, themseves were seen BREAKING the law through violence and aggression.
The answer to all this is PROPER TRAINING AND PROPER RECRUITMENT.
Raise the expectations of those who are about to be recruited and have a proper programme of recruitment in place.
A minimum level of qualifications is also indispensable.
A proper, recognised programme of initial training should be implemented.
Only those who follow this programme rigorously and religiously should be deemed as having passed.
On-going training is indispensable and those who do not follow it should not continue in thier jobs.
Proper salaries and resources should be provided.
Continuous assessment is also a necessity.
The Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs would do well to note this and recruit special personnel (from outside the various Corps) to help in this matter.