Prison warder gets compensation for 1982 police torture
Former prison warder Anthony Mifsud was today awarded €186,349 in compensation after a court found that his human rights were violated by the police when he was beaten in a police cell.
The case goes back to 1982 when Mr Mifsud, then in his twenties, was arrested and questioned by the police following the escape of two prisoners - Louis Bartolo and Ahmed Khalil Habib - from the civil prisons.
He had subsequently been accused of corruption and complicity in the escape, but was acquitted after having been kept in jail for three years under preventive arrest.
Mr Mifsud had claimed that during his arrest, before being taken to court, he was tortured by (then) Superintendent Carmelo Bonello and Superintendent Joe Psaila, among others. He claimed he was repeatedly beaten and kicked to the extent that he started coughing up blood and could not eat.
He said the officers also put a gun to his head and threatened him unless he signed a confession.
The court found that the police officers had violated Mr Mifsud's fundamental rights not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment. It ordered the Police Commissioner, former Police Commissioner Laurence Pullicino and former Supts Bonello and Psaila to pay total compensation of €186,349
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Mike Magri
Nov 3rd 2008, 14:04
@ G. Mangion.... Mr. Mangion, I lived through those horrible years of the `MIZBLA` and `INTERDETT`, and i CAN ASSURE you, that the Church IN MALTA, was `acting` like the Biggest PN Club on these Islands. So much so, that those days, the PN did not even feel the urge of organizing any mass meetings for the 1962 elections, as the church, with it`s unbelievable undemocratic actions was DOING ALL THE WORK FOR THE PN...!!!
So... INDIRECTLY... `ALTRU` milli.. ".. the P.N. had nothing to do with it.."...?????
Ronnie Gauci
Nov 1st 2008, 18:25
I wonder when relatives of those buried in the infamous "Mizbla" and those who suffered all kinds of mental torture in Malta`s Dark Ages (the sixties) will start sueing?
G. Mangion
Nov 1st 2008, 11:52
@ marsh c
1 , Political transfers happened always no ?
2, segregation, buried in a disgusting way in cemeteries, was the mlp and the Church business ONLY !!! . THE P.N HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, They were GALLERIJA !
G Mangion
Nov 1st 2008, 11:09
Anthony Mifsud was today awarded €186,349 in compensation after a court found that his human rights were violated by the police when he was beaten in a police cell. Thank GOD,better late than never, Mr Mifsud good luck and well done, You really unvieled the 1970's & 80's how the police corp was a torture Machine at those TIMES !
I saw Xarabank yesterday, and I guess all of the Maltese should be aware of those times
when, the SWAT in all police stations was normal for the Gov't of that time ! Shame.
Only GOD knows how many more similar cases like this happened too !
Nowadys our Police Corp is very Respected, Thanks to C.O.P Mr Rizzo. now there is some very good customer care, and people have faith in the corp.
Yes we all need to tell our Kid's about this SAD story, It is History after all no ?
We have to show them how hard it was to live at those Time's.
marsh c
Nov 1st 2008, 10:24
Torture can take many forms.
What Mifsud suffered was torture, but what many labour supporters had to encounter in all PN administrations is also torture. Political transfers, segregation, buried in a disgusting way in cemeteries, bot allowed to read socialist papers, and not given absolution sre just a few examples. So lets look forward and let the past be past. And by the way this happened 26 years ago why has justice took this long to materialize.
D Vella
Nov 1st 2008, 10:06
Anthony Mifsud got the equivalent of LM80, Mintoff got over LM350000, Ninu Zammit about LM70000 for a tiny bit of land....what is really interesting however is that we suddenly have 'accountability' in Malta. Of people at the top for the goings-on of their subordinates.
Would that this case signals in a new era of accountability. How about accountability of low-lying ex- MEPA minister George Pullicino during the JPO scandal? Or Minister Austin Gatt for the current MITTS scandal?
Two days ago in the UK a BBC chief resigned at the height of her career and forfeited a huge salary over the unacceptable behaviour of two of her Radio presenters. Ministers, House Speakers etc have been known to resign over issues which in Malta would raise a yawn rather than an eyebrow. Resignations here are only called for when politically expedient or sacrificial lambs are needed as in the case of Minister John Dali and the airtickets,
which proved to be farcical. Accountability indeed!
T Demanuele
Nov 1st 2008, 10:04
To P.Schembri.
We will NEVER forget.
Dr Francis Saliba
Nov 1st 2008, 00:17
@DavidScicluna
There in no better method to judge which would be the best political party to govern TODAY and TO MORROW than to keep in mind their performance today and in the recent past especially if there is no expression of regret for such shameful attempted frame ups by the police as exposed by the disgusting episodes of prison warder Anthony Mifsud and of Pietru Pawl Busuttil.
simon galea
Oct 31st 2008, 23:11
It is unacceptable for modern times to have to wait for 26 years in order for part justice to be done. €186,349 in compensation is a ridiculuos sum when considering what Mr.Mifsud been through and the Lm360,000 Dom Mintoff got for having a power station put up in front of his property. Is it a case of two weights and two measures?
Finally, I hope we do not have to wait for another 26 years for the culprits to be sent behind bars.
a sciberras
Oct 31st 2008, 21:24
We are to be ashamed of ourselves for letting Mr Mifsud suffer for the past 26 years. We call ourselves a democratic country, which embraces human rights, and here we are........it had to take 26 years for justice to be done !! The more time went by, the more this person's mind weakend as he kept thinking that his case will never be resolved and justice done on his behalf. Shame on us for not taking action before - from the politicians and those in power to do something to our law courts, which have indeed proven yet once again that time lag is one and all in there !!
Robert Callus
Oct 31st 2008, 20:08
Though I'm happy for Mifsud, this is shameful. Too little and extremely too late. I'm not pointing fingers at any particular party. I'm saying this is not justice.
Torture and three years prison, an innocent man, should not get that relatively miserable amount 30 years later
deb bugeja
Oct 31st 2008, 17:25
I think the compensation sum given to Mr Anthony Mifsud is not enough considering the turmoil he had to endure. The torture and the years he spent in prison. He was treated inhumanly and the excessive years he had to wait to get compensated.
.
David Scicluna
Oct 31st 2008, 16:48
Why should I not vote the PN today, just because it was the party of the elite in the past? (and don't tell me it was not)
With the same reasoning:
Why should I not vote the MLP today, just because it was corrupt in the past?
Let the people vote the party which they think is best to govern TODAY, in this situation, judging the ideas they are proposing TODAY, and the mistakes they commit TODAY.
C.sapiano
Oct 31st 2008, 12:15
@manwel debattista
My comments are not silly - the people are living better now. The PN is not torturing people. The people are still eating out, going abroad and buying like never before. How can u explain all the mobiles and computers in our houses. The cost of living is a problem but not so much as left-wingers try to portray it !
G. Borg
Oct 31st 2008, 12:14
Ain't it ironical that while former super policeman and super security man Joe Psaila was promoted by the incoming PN Government in 1987, Laurence Pullicino who was abroad during the questioning of Anthony Mifsud, warder when Louis Bartolo and Ahmed Habib managed to bolt from jail, should carry the brunt of it all? When will the real story of the 1980s be told?
Mike Magri
Oct 31st 2008, 11:11
Finally, and after 26 years, justice has been done to Mr. Anthony Mifsud...
Now, in my books there are at least TWO more happenings which drastically needs JUSTICE to be handed down to them...
(1).. The brutal murder of young Karen Grech by a Letter-Bomb sent to her father at their home, and (2).. The cold blooded shooting and killing of Raymond Caruana at the PN Club in Gudja..
Let`s hope that FINALLY, the police will have the same success on these two cases, as they had to the case above...
In conclusion, lets not blow such cases out of their Due Merits and Proportions, as we are now living in the year 2008 going very near to 2009, (God Willing)...... Lets take maximum care in solving our present problems as quickly as possible, TO SECURE A BETTER FUTURE FOR US, OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN`S CHILDREN...
Joseph Schembri
Oct 31st 2008, 11:04
It is puerile to drag petty partisan politics into a case of real human suffering. This poor soul has been awarded Lm80,000 - (that is how much a flat in a not sought after area costs nowadays)- for three decades of torment - and I suspect that it will come from taxpayer money.
Meanwhile people from the same group that committed these crimes are given tasers and not being held accountable for the many frivolous prosecutions that they pursue.
As always my concern is embodied in what the old Roman poet, Juvenal, said: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
Ray Gatt
Oct 31st 2008, 10:13
MLP has a deputy leader who was in the police force at the time, who would like to take us back to those days. And you want us to forget the past? MLP apologists can forget it as much as they like, but those like myself and my family who suffered under the Mintoff/KMB communist/socialist regime will never forget 16 violent and terrifying years. You ask PN followers what they went through in the cottonera area especially (I'm from Cospicua) in those days of Malta Socjalista and 'run rabbit run' on the tv screens. How would you like to have your father attacked for no reason at all while he's waiting to vote? And the law (lol) arrests my father instead of the mob. How would you like to have your home attacked by about two dozen socialist violent thugs, knowing that your sisters are about to come home from work? I think I'll stop there. No, I won't forget and as much as possible I tell my 4 grown up children who also went through the private schools debacle in those days, to inform themselves of what went on. Do your kids know about it??? Doubt it very much!!!
Corinne Vella
Oct 31st 2008, 09:32
P. Schembri: Try telling that to Anthony Mifsud.
R.Camilleri
Oct 31st 2008, 08:44
Dr Lawrence is reputed to have been abroad when the alleged incident took place. Could someone really verify without the usual interference of political activists masquerading as defenders of human rights?
V.Micallef
Oct 31st 2008, 08:35
One small query, if it is allowed: what had Dr Lawrence Pullicino to do with all this when he was not even in Malta when the events in question took place?
l Galea
Oct 31st 2008, 08:19
T Mifsud
Don't try to open the PN cupboard because you will run for your life at the skeletons that you'll see.
John Psaila
Oct 31st 2008, 07:54
I solicit the govt not to fork out the money but issue a garnishee order against the persons mentioned(the two supretendents one was pronoted to ac, the ex police commissioner and the current one as ordered by court)Many of the police officers who were at zejtun and other troubles remained there not only but hold high positions and play the part of the saints....well done to the courts...they proved that justice can be served even if after a long time.
A.Chetcuti
Oct 31st 2008, 06:42
At last, what a shame waiting all these years to be compensated. The court should have jailed those responsible for this inhumane act. Shame on all of them and the government of those years.
T Mifsud
Oct 30th 2008, 22:02
The 80s where the most turbulent post-war times in Malta. Who can forget during the nights eerie silence interrupted by blasts from surrounding villages? No not fireworks, but terrorism. Who could forget the biege police uniforms synonymous with corruption, frame-ups, torture and the MLP henchmen? Who can forget the picture of Our Lady smashed to pieces by you know who? What about the murder of Raymond Caruana and the subsequent botched frame-up of Petru Pawl Busuttil? Who can forget the school children (me one of them) carrying books in plastic bags and meeting a group of 9 in garages because otherwise we would be attacked by MLP henchmen? Who can forget the stoning of St Aloysius classrooms with children inside by dockyard workers? I was there! Who can forget the the the MLP henchmen mixing with the SMU at tal-Barrani fields throwing stones at people while police fire tear gas at the MLP's targets?! Who can forget The Times of Malta on fire? Who can forget history? NO ONE!
In fact we ought to teach it to our children to show them that the path to democracy was tough, very tough!
E. Pavia
Oct 30th 2008, 21:13
We should LEARN from the past not forget it or mention it just as a political issue. Once we LEARN we should not keep on mentioning the past for every single occasion year after year. This was not a case of mentioning the past but a case where the court took so long to give a verdict. That is indeed another problem we should tackle.
In this particular case, I believe that compensation alone does not heal the injury to the victim but the superintendents and police involved should also be put on trial and charged for such behaviour when they should have prevented this as police officers.
Rafel Sammut
Oct 30th 2008, 20:13
Finally Malta is reaching certain standards since justice was served !!
Doreen Camilleri
Oct 30th 2008, 20:09
Compensation is not enough.......will the alleged perpetrators be taken to trial.....? now that would be justice!
Charles Camilleri
Oct 30th 2008, 19:21
@ P. Schembri If we forget the past we are bound to make the same mistakes. And judging by what is written by certain blogs it is important that we refer to the past to open their minds.
david meilak
Oct 30th 2008, 19:07
It is so easy to ask us why we look in the past..............isn't the past over? Lets look into the future.
How I'd love that to be so easy! I believe that when the day comes that I can safely account for each of the Labour Party members of parliament and say to myself that those that represented the people in the 80's are gone for good.................that's when the past will be THE PAST. Until that political scenario is possible......the past can always emulate the future...............
Those of you are comfortable to neglect the past.................either have no idea what they are talking about..............or as others have said......to comfortable in today's democracy to have any feelings for what may lie in certain political closets.
Ronnie Agius
Oct 30th 2008, 18:56
After 26 years Mr.Anthony Mifsud 's case was judged,it is true that justice has to take its time but a case like this take 26 years it is too long. I ask if this man had died during these 26 years what justice would have been done?. I congratulate Mr.Mifsud for his award, better late than never.
C Vella
Oct 30th 2008, 18:32
so because Mintoff's view at Delimara was runined with the Delimara Power station the state awarded him 828000 euros. Now compare a view with somebody's life being ruined and after waiting for 27 years Mifsud gets 186349 euros. Confuse me further.
Chris Borg
Oct 30th 2008, 18:31
Malta is so strange. Certain people remember what happened over 20 years ago but forget what happened last year (Nicholas Azzopardi, etc. etc.). The same people also forget about the beatings which took place in the 1960s by the same Police force (which has, for instance, resulted in a gentleman being paralysed), they also seem not to remember the way how police on horseback tried to stampede Dom Minoff, even if they "just" managed to throw him on the ground since he was protected by labourites....now isn't that some kind of selective amnesia? The same people remember well all violent incidents which have to do with politics but forget about the 22 Labour Clubs burnt in 1987, the shooting on a delegation of the Socialist International in the '60s, the assassination of Karen Grech, the damage caused on Labour Party property in 1998 by PN thugs assisted by police officers, the beating of Tarcisio Mifsud etc. etc. etc. Oh, some people suffer of selective amnesia indeed.
P.S. Why were violent Police officers given promotions by the PN after 1987?
P.Schembri
Oct 30th 2008, 18:30
Excuse me. Are we living in 1988 or 2008? Why do you have to look at the past, when we need to look to the future? As usual the PN uses the past to cover it's own mistakes.
Glenn Barrossa
Oct 30th 2008, 18:14
Does anyone remember rhat these police officers were promoted by Fenech Adami despite these stories? Does anyone remember that it was Alfred Sant who sacked them?
T Mifsud
Oct 30th 2008, 18:09
@George Cremona
You forgot to mention that a good number ofthe MLP ministers of 80s are still MPs with the MLP today. They KNOW what went on. We never received a heartful apology from NONE of them. They always go on the defensive, try to balance out with the opposition's misgivings and are never ever ready to say Sorry' and just 'Sorry!'.
Skeletons in the cupboards for MLP's Halloween!
Rebekah Grima
Oct 30th 2008, 18:07
Joseph Psaila was promoted to Assistant Commissioner several years after the case and under a PN administration
c.camilleri
Oct 30th 2008, 17:46
One has to be out of one's mind to compare 16yrs of labour's terror to present day life . there is just no comparison. Pity that many take the present day life for granted and forget the past.
Michael Ellul
Oct 30th 2008, 17:42
If not mistaken either bonello or psaila had a promotion right? Please confirm as it is quite strange to be awarded a promotion after these accuses.
Joseph Schembri
Oct 30th 2008, 17:41
How quickly we forget! Members of this same police force have been implicated as recently as this year in cases of abuse of power and torture.
charles baldacchino
Oct 30th 2008, 17:39
mr sapiano should remember that there were many instances when the courts condemned this government for discrimination. Did mr sapiano blame ex prime minister fenech adami when the chief justice was charged with improper conduct. If he is interested he should delve into the behavior of the two superintendents who changed their version of events with the change of government in the case of nardu debono. these two persons swore infront of prime minister mintoff that nardu was not killed in the police headquarters and in the trial of lawrence pullicino they changed their version of events. before throwing more venom at mintoff, try to get the right information not the distorted one so ably conjured by the nationalists
George Cremona
Oct 30th 2008, 17:00
Labourites your party's notorious past of political oppression and persecution will keep haunting you for ever and ever. You will never succeed in deleting the horrible facts that were committed by your ilk during your party's 16 years in government. Be assured that those dark years will always be remembered by me and many others who lived those times and be reminded of to many others who were fortunately not yet born. What is currently happening in Malta happens in every democratic country whenever international crises crops up and has nothing in common with what used to happen intentionally in your party's time in government. Therefore, yes, comparison of both occurrences is ridiculous..
P Sultana
Oct 30th 2008, 16:49
Even in Europe we remain a third world country. Not only third world but also 3rd rate. What a shambles we have made of Malta!
Charles Camilleri
Oct 30th 2008, 16:49
This is what life was under labour. This is only one of several cases. All those labour apologists who still have blinkers in their eyes i suggest to them to read 'Liberta Mhedda' by Dione Borg for a documented proceedings in our courts of acts like these including the murder of Nardu Debono in the police Depot. Thank God and the Nationalist Party that these are things of the past even though the moaning and whining will never stop. Thanks to the freedom brought by Nationalists Governments many labour bloggers can express themselves without any fear in the Times (which was arsoned by labour thugs) unlike labour's time when no one dared open his/her mouth. Yes we live in a time of liberty and prosperity unknown before.
David Meilak
Oct 30th 2008, 16:48
So the people may judge............
This week Mintoff gets 250,000 USD as a professor of democracy................
Anthony Mifsud is finally awarded compensation for being framed and tortured in the early 80's
Dr. Mifsud Bonnici (KMB) accepts Mintoff's prize on his behalf.............
May god give me the opportunity of not having to read these people's names on our media any more...........as I shiver when I hear their names mentioned in the name of 'Democracy'
Democracy - Guarantee of basic Human Rights to every individual person vis-à-vis the state and its authorities as well as vis-à-vis any social groups
* Separation of Powers between the institutions of the state
* Freedom of opinion, speech, press and massmedia
* Religious liberty
* General and equal right to vote (one person, one vote)
* Good Governance (focus on public interest and absence of corruption)
http://www.democracy-building.info/definition-democracy.html
Mintoff getting an award for Democracy.....................Close your eyes, and think about it.
A.Magri
Oct 30th 2008, 16:45
Tortured twice. Once physically, once mentally.
Joe Micallef
Oct 30th 2008, 16:04
@R. Agius
No, not the cost of living is a stupid argument but those who cannot distinguish between reasons increasing it on which we have control and those on which we don't.
Difficult riddle: If you and me do not pay for it in our bills who will? Surprise Surprise you and me from our taxes!!!! You may discuss other things such as inefficiencies that cost you and me tax money but not the bills.
E. Borg
Oct 30th 2008, 15:38
The authorities should take the irresponsible people to court so they pay for their crime of torture and abuse of power and not just pay for their crime with money.
mario borg
Oct 30th 2008, 15:29
@C Sapiano
...remember the nicholas azzopardi case a couple of months ago?.....
Manwel Debattista
Oct 30th 2008, 15:29
Very happy to see Mr. Mifsud finally being compensated. Always thought he deserved justice athough even the Attorney General himself in 2002 said he did not believe Mr. Mifsud was the victim of a frame up. As to C. Sapiano' silly remarks, in 1982 one person was tortured, now in 2008 the whole Maltese population is being tortured by what C. Sapiano calls "stupid things like the cost of living and tariffs". Stupid things? Workers being made redundant, others on 4-day week, whole families unable to cope with utility rates, businesses reporting and anticipating a nosedive in sales, hotels threatening to close down, unions and social partners angry at being treated like kids by an arrogant Administration. Yep, stupid things indeed!! Take off your blinkers please.
Again, glad to see Mr. Mifsud being compensated, but please spare us the insults C. Sapiano.
Eric Soames
Oct 30th 2008, 15:26
So. Are any prosecutions going to be brought against those responsible?
R. Agius
Oct 30th 2008, 15:26
@C. Sapiano
The cost of living is a stupid thing for you?
edgar gatt
Oct 30th 2008, 15:22
At last justice for Anthony Mifsud. The money should be paid by Dom Mintoff from the money that he received from Qaddafi. After all Mintoff was declared by Gaddafi as the most democratic person in Malta and as this violation of human rights took place when he was PM than it is only right that he pays. I am now certain that Qaddafi was referring to this kind of human rights .
Dr Francis Saliba
Oct 30th 2008, 15:21
@ all the apologists for the MLP's past.
Cross my heart and let me die!
The courts said it not I.
l Galea
Oct 30th 2008, 15:19
C.Sapiano
"prefer to grumble about stupid things like the cost of living and tariffs"
If you are so well off not to grumble, are you willing to pay someone else's bills?
gino galea
Oct 30th 2008, 15:14
Is there a similarity? In the USA, those who practically brought a world recession were rewarded by baling them out through public funds. In this case two supritendents who were also mentioned in various police irregularities investigations, make us the tax payers pay for their transgressions. Should not the Authorities file for the compensation paid against these "public official abusers'? One also has to remember that they were also rewarded through various promotions.
Two judges who dishonoured the trust as public officials have been brought to court. Are these two officials in a better position then the judges? After all they did dishonour the Force they represented. In not bringing them to justice, I feel justified in stating that where the (?)public officials were used.. why the protection?
Why did it have to take so many years to compensate a person who suffered so many injustices, take so long?
Can one blame the maltese public if they have little trust in various public entities that are there to protect (?) them.
Mark Gauci
Oct 30th 2008, 15:09
Wow.....about time!!
And now these people appeal the court decision and we go back to square 1. A perfect portrait of the efficiency of the justice system in this country. Just to have an idea, whilst this case was ongoing Mr Pullicino was convicted for his involvement in the death of Nardu Debono, sent to jail, spent his sentence and walked out again!
Le le, veru qeghdin sew
J. Borg
Oct 30th 2008, 15:06
@ C. Sapiano
are you speaking about the Germans, the British, the French, the Turks....?
Fabian DEMICOLI
Oct 30th 2008, 15:05
Finally justice was made...
C.Sapiano
Oct 30th 2008, 14:54
Thank God we don't live in those times anymore ! But alas there are people who don't appreciate democracy and prefer to grumble about stupid things like the cost of living and tariffs. We should never let these people abuse of power again with the complicity of certain politicians.
Antoine Vella (Balzan)
Oct 30th 2008, 14:52
At least the money is coming out of the pockets of the culprits, not out of our taxes.
Ruth Grima
Oct 30th 2008, 14:51
wow....26yrs waiting for justice to be done.........what a long way to go Malta has
J Farrugia
Oct 30th 2008, 14:51
You're wrong. Supt Carmelo Bonello was dismissed from the force by the PSC. As regards Supt Psaila, yes he was promoted by the PN Government since he was not the kind of person Bonello or the others of his ilk, were. So since there was no evidence of such criminal action, like there was in the case of Bonello, no action could be taken. Still these were the remnants of the mintoff regime. And I agree that it is these two persons who should pay this man for what he had suffered under their hands. Not the Maltese people.
P.Schembri
Oct 30th 2008, 14:33
Aren't those two superintendents the same two who were given many promotions after the PN came to power in 1987? Aren't these two the same who were witnesses against Lawrence PUllicino in the Nardu Debono Case?