The report (April 29) on the tragic case of the young Nigerian immigrant still awaiting burial after his sudden death in custody in April 2011, throws more light on the shambles reigning in our inquiry system, judicial and departmental.

Inquiries intended to clarify, make transparent and public the conduct of government officers and institutions seem to serve the opposite function, that is, to shroud and/or delay the explanation of the facts as they happened.

In this case three simultaneous inquiries were set up. All hinged on the findings at post-mortem and other forensic tests, to which access has been made difficult for the immigrant’s family, the local Emigrants Commission and the Maltese public at large.

All this amid a number of startling leaks such as “Government sources stated that the late Nwokoye had a slow pulse after he was caught and was likely to have suffered a heart attack”.

The hope remains that the new administration will sort out this shameful delay of justice and make possible the early burial of Infeanyl Nwokoye.