A security guard tries to stop the picture being taken.

Times of Malta photographer Jason Borg has not dropped the criminal complaint against two G4S security officers who manhandled him at Mater Dei Hospital, contrary to claims by the security company yesterday.

Allied Newspapers Ltd, the publisher of Times of Malta, yesterday reacted to a statement by security firm G4S regarding an incident last Tuesday involving two of its guards, who manhandled the photographer while he was taking pictures of a car that caught fire in the hospital’s car park.

G4S exonerated the two from any wrongdoing and also said that Times of Malta had withdrawn its criminal complaint filed with the police.

“No one from the management of Times of Malta informed G4S that Mr Borg has withdrawn his complaint to the police in relation to the actions of the security officers. Indeed, he has not done so and, furthermore, has no intention of doing so. This is pure fabrication on their part,” Allied Newspapers said.

The two G4S officers were suspended from their duties on full pay until an investigation by the hospital’s management and G4S was concluded.

Yesterday, the security company said: “MDH management has found that the two G4S security officers were acting completely in line with established MDH policies and procedures, and recommended that they be reinstated without any disciplinary action.”

Allied Newspapers questioned how G4S could conduct a credible investigation into the matter, and declare that its staff acted appropriately, without speaking to Mr Borg. “In doing so it has ignored the norms of basic procedure and natural justice,” the spokesman added.

Allied Newspapers also noted that G4S’s statement was circulated to the media by the chairman of the Malta Institute of Journalists (IĠM), who described it as a clarification.

“Not only has he not spoken to Mr Borg in his capacity as IĠM chairman, but circulating such a press release – and the inaccuracies it contains – highlights a clear conflict of interest which we believe makes his position within the IĠM untenable,” the company added.

Meanwhile, the General Workers’ Union said that the security staff had been doing their duty. It expressed solidarity with the G4S security men who, it said, had noticed the fire and tried to put it out.

The union appealed to the members of the media to be “very prudent” especially in restricted areas where, it said, no pictures were supposed to be taken.