Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this afternoon he “expected and demanded” a clear explanation from the Police Commissioner as to why a car shot at by a minister’s driver on Wednesday night was moved before the arrival of the magistrate.

Dr Busuttil was addressing a news conference in Triq Wied tal-Kappara, situated in a small residential road in Gzira, where, according to witnesses, the shooting took place.

He said it was unacceptable that the Prime Minister was waiting for the results of the inquiry to take action when he should immediately remove minister Manuel Mallia.

Dr Busuttil said that the removal of the car before the arrival of the magistrate was a clear attempt at covering up what happened and it seemed the car was moved on the order of the acting Police Commissioner.

This was apart from the fact that an official government statement on Wednesday night said warning shots in the air were fired, when the shots were in fact fired at the car.

This was a clear attempt at a cover-up, Dr Busuttil said.

Witnesses said that just before 9pm on the night of the incident they heard a horn honking and went out to see what was happening.

They saw two men arguing and some 10 minutes later heard shots and saw one of them waving a revolver and the other asking him why he was threatening him with a gun.

Dr Busuttil said that what took place was excessive use of force by a policeman as a result of the culture, brought in by the Labour government, that one could do whatever one wanted without any regard for the law.

This was unacceptable in a democratic country and neither the policeman who fired the shots nor the Briton had been charged in an attempt to cover-up the truth.

The Prime Minister’s credibility, Dr Busuttil said, was in free fall and if he did not remove Dr Mallia, he would be an accomplice in abuse of power.

Dr Busuttil said he was expecting a clear explanation.

COMMISSIONER DENIES GIVING ORDER FOR CAR TO BE MOVED

The acting Police Commissioner said in a statement this afternoon that his order on the night of the incident was for Supt. A. Mamo, who was responsible for the district, to go on site and order an inquiry.

He said that although it was true that, as was done in other cases, he asked for a low loader to be taken on site so that the vehicles involved would be moved to the CID yard once the inquiry was over, he did not order for it to be moved before the inquiry.

Although the vehicle was loaded on the low loader, he said, the police remained on site and the inquiry continued.

COMMISSIONER CONFIRMS UNDERHAND DEALINGS - PN

In a reply, the PN said the acting Commissioner was confirming underhand dealings in that the car was placed on the police low loader before the inquiry started.

The PN noted that the acting Commissioner did not say why the minister’s driver had not yet been arraigned.

Read report of Prime Minister's statements today here.

The Opposition leader, the PN said, was to continue insisting for an explanation.

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