Monday, 10th November 2008 - 16:33CET
Former warden seeks higher compensation for police beatings
Former prison warden Anthony Mifsud today appealed from a judgment of the First Hall of the Civil Court over compensation he was given after having been beaten up at police headquarters in 1982, saying that the compensation was inadequate.
Mr Mifsud had been arrested in 1982 on suspicion of having been involved in the escape from prison of two prisoners. He was tortured in police headquarters, arraigned in court, kept under preventive arrest for three years, and then acquitted of all charges.
A court late last month awarded him compensation of €186,349.87 to be paid by former Police Superintendents Carmelo Bonello and Joseph Psaila, the Commissioner of Police and former police commissioner Dr Lawrence Pullicino. However Mr Mifsud said that given the gravity of the case and the delay in the court's decision, compensation of €1.16 million would be more appropriate.
The First Hall of the Civil Court had concluded that Mr Mifsud had been tortured while in police custody and that he had been unlawfully detained for more than twice the legal limit of 48 hours before arraignment.
Mr Mifsud said he had not been adequately compensated for these violations. Had he continued in his job as a prison warden or in any other job earning a minimum wage in the period between June 1982 and June of this year, he would have earned far more that the sum awarded to him by the first court. Furthermore, the delay in the court proceedings had also been prejudicial to him.
Mr Mifsud requested the Constitutional Court to increase the compensation to €1.16 million.
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Comments
The only way you can get even is to educate your children and friends about your experiences so that when they come to vote in an election, they will be forewarned that one party which still has elements from the 70s and 80s, could very well relapse into those fearful tactics if elected!
With regard to Anthony Mifsud, his appeal makes a lot of sense, The amount awarded is totally inadequate and a recalculation is in order. He should be compensated for (1) Lost wages (2) Physical suffering (3) Psychological trauma (4) Permanent disability resulting from the beatings, (5) for damage to his reputation over the last twenty-six years and the suffering his family went through during and after his incarceration and, (6) all legal expenses incurred up to now and due to any future appeals..
Even the E1.16 million is grossly inadequate!
How about getting compensation from the PN and Gonzipn governments for ruining everything that we had and made us again a colony, this time of the eu?
With whom did the Nationalist Govt. fill the University after his 1987 electoral victory if from 1971 and 1987 we were all illiterates or going to crappy schools? With kindergarten children or one year olds?
It is not the gov & Dom Mintoff 's fault if you were not interested in education.
Whoever was good enough in the early 80s, got whatever he wanted to get. I know 'cause I did.
No man on earth can ruin your education. Take off your blue tinted specs and you will know exactly what I mean.
What you are reaping today was given to you by none other than Dom Mintoff.
They ruined his life and €186,000 is pittance when you consider what he went through and what he has suffered.
What happened to Mr.Anthony Mifsud is a thing that no decent human being should ever experience.
Would have let yourself be beaten, tortured and left alone in such an unhumane state?
What does your loss of education have to do with this terrible ordeal?
You can try but you will loose time and money ...
:)
Also someone should have the "Courage" to say SORRY to Mr Mifsud.
He will be in a better position with that, rather than with €1.16 million in the bank
Calculations:-
Sum requested Eur 1.16 milion for period June 1982 to June 2008 equals 26 years.
Compensation per year equals Eur 44615.
Weekly equals Eur 858 equivalent to Lm 368.33.
Is this the average minimum wage for the past 26 years?
Good luck to Mr Mifsud. He deserves more,not that whatever he gets will be compensation enough after 20 years of angst.