A magisterial inquiry into a Nigerian migrant’s suspicious death in detention last year has been submitted but the Attorney General has not yet cleared it, The Sunday Times has learnt.
As the body of Ifeanyi Nwokoye remains frozen in the Mater Dei Hospital morgue after 17 months, his family is refusing to bury him until the 29-year-old’s death is explained.
Mr Nwokoye’s relatives have even asked for a copy of the magisterial inquiry, sources told The Sunday Times. The inquiry – which was concluded recently after several delays – seems to have raised more questions than answers and is still being scrutinised.
“The inquiry was concluded and we are examining its content and conclusions with a view to determining whether all aspects of the subject matter were examined to its satisfaction and if there are further questions to be raised,” Attorney General Peter Grech said.
The Times last month reported that two soldiers dealt several blows to Mr Nwokoye before he died, according to a Government-appointed independent inquiry which has yet to be published in full.
But since the inquiry was refused access to the results of Mr Nwokoye’s autopsy, it was unable to conclude whether the blows were excessive and had caused his death.
Another possibility could be that Mr Nwokoye died of a weak heart or some other physical predisposition – as had been reported when he died.
Mr Nwokoye’s family originally asked for his body to be transferred to Nigeria for burial, sources told The Sunday Times.
When the family found out the cost would be prohibitive, they asked for a family member to attend the burial in Malta.
However, the funeral was postponed at the last minute – a hearse had even been booked – when it became clear Maltese authorities could be held responsible for the death.
The family may demand compensation if it is determined that Mr Nwokoye’s death was caused by the soldiers.
The government had promised to publish the full inquiry once magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona concludes his own. But the AG’s comments may delay this.
When the AG is not convinced by the outcome of a magisterial inquiry, he may send it back to be revised.
Mr Nwokoye died in hospital soon after he was captured following an escape from the Safi detention centre with six other migrants in April 2011.
His death received fresh attention this year following the alleged murder of Malian Mamadou Kamara, whose funeral took place at the beginning of this month.
Two soldiers have been accused of Mr Kamara’s murder and the court case is ongoing. A third soldier was accused of tampering with evidence.