A detention services officer told a court that the Nigerian man who died at the Ħal Far detention centre after being recaptured following an escape attempt in April 2011 did not receive a beating on his recapture.

Detention services officer Anthony Zammit testified in the compilation of evidence against Roderick Azzopardi, 29, from Żabbar, who was second in command at the Ħal Far detention centre on the night 29-year-old Ifeanyi Nwokoye died.

The case is also against Bombardier Aldo Simiana, 41, from Birkirkara and Bombardier Carmela Camilleri, 55, from Żurrieq (now a detention services officer) who are denying the charge of involuntary homicide.

Mr Nwokoye was arrested on April 16, 2011, alongside an Algerian man after escaping from the detention centre. Six migrants went on the run that night and the Algerian and Mr Nwokoye were apprehended some time later.

The case first came to light when it emerged that Mr Nwokoye’s body had been kept in the hospital morgue for two years. Burial was only allowed last July. A magisterial inquiry into his death was concluded in 2012 and then it was up to the Attorney General to decide whether to take any action against the officers allegedly responsible for the death.

In his testimony, before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, Mr Zammit said he was on guard duty that night, when he found three colleagues of his restraining Mr Nwokoye.

When Lt Azzopardi arrived he restrained Mr Nwokoye, and hit him twice. He clarified that he slapped him in the back and handcuffed him. It later resulted that Mr Nwokoye had a piece of metal in his pocket. The metal object was a metal bar which appeared to have come from one of the detention centre’s beds.

Mr Zammit said Lt Azzopardi confronted Mr Nwokoye over the metal object but he did not see him punching or kicking Mr Nwokoye.

Lance Bombardier Martin Blundell testified that, as he opened the gate to relieve another officer from guard duties, he was pushed against a wall, leading him to sustain a gash in his head that required stitches. Six men escaped, and a number of colleagues gave chase.

After some time two colleagues asked him whether he could wait for the recaptured detainees to be taken to Ħal Far before they took him to treatment.

He said he did not see the detainees at any point. Asked on the frequency of escape attempts, Mr Blundell said that on some occasions, two escapes took place in a month, but there were also months in which no escapes took place. He added that the soldiers were understaffed.

 

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