Wednesday’s incident when the Home Affairs Minister’s driver fired shots at a foreign national’s car following an altercation has once again propelled Manuel Mallia into the news headlines for the wrong reasons. The established criminal lawyer was given one of Joseph Muscat’s most prominent ministries in March 2013, but his term in office has so far been punctuated with questionable decisions and appointments... with a little help from his Chief of Staff Silvio Scerri. Ivan Camilleri chronicles his blunders and controversies.

March 21, 2013 – TVM cancels edition of TVHemm programme presented by journalist Norman Vella without any explanation. Manuel Mallia denies involvement.

May 16, 2013 – Dr Mallia denies involvement in oil procurement scandal. He had represented pardoned George Farrugia’s brothers in the past, well before the emergence of the oil scandal.

June 4, 2013 – The minister announces partial amnesty to prison inmates to mark Labour’s election win and is given an enthusiastic welcome during a visit to prison facilities. Victims of crime say they are “shocked” that criminals who wronged them are given an amnesty allowing them to get away with a lighter punishment without having done anything to deserve it.

June 21, 2013 – Dr Mallia appoints Brigadier Maurice Calleja to investigate army injustices. Dr Mallia had defended Calleja’s son Meinrad in the attempted murder of Richard Cachia Caruana, then personal assistant to Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami.

June 28, 2013 – Minister admits he was present during interviews for Security Services personnel. Insists he was just observing and not taking decisions on who to recruit.

June 29, 2013 – Police officers ordered to serve as waiters at a banquet offered by Dr Mallia for European Broadcasting Union delegates at Girgenti Palace. Opposition spokesman Jason Azzopardi describes the decision as “degrading”.

June 30, 2013 – Ministry chief of staff Silvio Scerri involved in an incident with security officers at an Isle of MTV concert in Floriana. Mr Scerri instructs police to arrest private security officer after an unaccredited guest was barred from entering the restricted VIP area. Minister backs Mr Scerri.

July 23, 2013 – Dr Mallia fails to declare his income in his first ministerial declaration of assets. Declares €500,000 cash stashed at home. Amends his declaration afterwards and says his omission was due to a misunderstanding.

July 30, 2013 – Maria Cardona, a lawyer from Emanuel Mallia and Associates – Dr Mallia’s former law firm – appointed to chair the Prison Board. Dr Mallia is responsible for appointment.

August 25, 2013 – Newspapers report that Silvio Scerri had ‘used’ convicted criminal Charlie Attard known as Iż-Żambi as an intermediary to speak to a man wrongly accused of committing a hold-up. Mr Scerri denies the claim.

August 31, 2013 – Dr Mallia appoints new police board after ordering an inquiry into police conduct regarding a wrongly-charged person. The board’s secretary is Keith Chetcuti – CEO of Nexos Lighting – the company previously owned by Mr Scerri. Labour candidate David Farrugia Sacco also appointed on the board.

September 4, 2013 – Dr Mallia borrows a BMW from his chief of staff to use as official car. Says he wanted to save costs while his government car is serviced.

September 25, 2013 – Minister denies putting pressure on army commander Martin Xuereb to resign. His deputy, David Attard is transferred to the detention services. Col. Attard, one of the most distinguished army officials, protests and resigns.

October 5, 2013 – Jeffrey Curmi is appointed AFM deputy commander after being given three consecutive promotions.

October 11, 2013 – Acting Prison Director Emmanuel Camilleri steps down. Reports say he fell out with the Home Affairs Ministry over the running of the prison facilities.

October 19, 2013 – AFM commander Martin Xuereb announces he will retire from his post in December. Dr Mallia denies exerting any pressure.

October 21, 2013 – Minister announces that for the first time in its history, the police force will have three deputy police commissioners.

December 20, 2013 – Jeffrey Curmi appointed AFM commander after being giving a fourth promotion in six months.

January 31, 2014 – Dr Mallia refuses to comment over claims by the Opposition that he was caught eavesdropping outside the door of the Opposition’s office in Parliament. Dr Mallia claims he didn’t know that the office belonged to the Opposition.

February 2, 2014 – Minister tells Parliament he had employed Cyrus Engerer – facing criminal charges in court – as his consultant.

February 5, 2014 – Dr Mallia silent over claims he had threatened to resign if the cash-for-citizenship scheme included a residency requirement. Justice Minister Owen Bonnici – present for the same meeting – states that what was said privately should remain so.

March 11, 2014 – Dr Mallia advertises in the media a series of public meetings for the general public called ‘Always close to you’. The meetings are to be held at Labour Party clubs.

May 3, 2014 – News emerges that the hunters’ federation is still represented by lawyers Emmanuel Mallia and Associates. Mallia states he severed all ties with his former firm.

May 8, 2014 – Minister flies to Copenhagen to attend the Eurovision song festival, the first Maltese minister to do so. He says he attended meetings with EBU officials.

May 13, 2014 – Dr Mallia opposes a request by the Ombudsman to hand over files to look into complaints by army officers over promotion injustices. Minister states that Ombudsman has no remit.

May 14, 2014 – Police sergeant major given two transfers in one day – Dr Mallia defends transfers and states these were made according to the needs of the force.

June 13, 2014 – Ombudsman files judicial protest against the minister for refusing to cooperate in investigation over recent army promotions.

July 3, 2014 – Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit steps down barely a year after his appointment. Deputy Police Commissioner Ray Zammit appointed Acting Commissioner. Minister remains silent for a week before telling Parliament that Commissioner was not forced to quit.

July 21, 2014 – Cabinet ministers file their second annual declaration of assets. Dr Mallia declares over €2 million in assets and seven properties including in Romania.

September 5, 2014 – Dr Mallia fails to attend meeting in Malta with his EU counterpart Commissioner Cecilia Malmström. Says he could not attend as he was on holiday.

September 25, 2014 – Opposition asks Dr Mallia to publish inquiry report on the actions of former police commissioner Peter Paul Zammit to drop charges against a person who allegedly attacked police officers in Żabbar. Minister says he was abroad and did not read conclusions yet.

October 8, 2014 – Dr Mallia says he was still studying the findings of two inquiries: one on the police commissioner and the other on a police blunder which led to a man wrongly charged in court for a crime he didn’t commit. Says he was still unsure whether to publish reports.

October 21, 2014 – Dr Mallia inaugurates container turned mobile police station in Marsascala. The planning authority confirms it has no permit but just a temporary clearance for four months.

October 27, 2014 – Dr Mallia tells Parliament he had 30 reinstated police officers who had left the corps more than 15 years earlier. Minister refuses to publish guidelines.

October 29, 2014 – Minister threatens police officers for leaking information with disciplinary action.

November 2, 2014 – Information tabled in Parliament shows Dr Mallia is registered as a Gozitan resident despite living permanently in Malta. The system is normally used by Maltese to become eligible for cheaper Gozo ferry tickets.

November 14, 2014 – Dr Mallia says allegations that his chief of staff Silvio Scerri was behind a plot to kill a boxer in 2011 are false. Police issue rare statement to state Mr Scerri is being treated as a “victim”.

November 20, 2014 – In a statement, Dr Mallia says that his driver fired two warning shots in the air during a hit-and-run involving his ministerial car. The day after he says he had the wrong information and admits his security man had fired at the foreign national’s car. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil calls on the Prime Minister to sack Dr Mallia for lying and of being involved in a cover up.