The magisterial inquiry into the highly publicised killing of a flamingo last June has now been completed, timesofmalta.com is informed.

The police had told Times of Malta that it would not be prudent to comment on the case as the inquiry was ongoing.

But sources clarified this morning that, following the receipt of expert reports, the inquiry was concluded late last year and forwarded to the competent authorities.

A request for further information on the progress of the investigation sent to the police media office yesterday has yet to be answered.

It is not yet known whether the police intend to arraign a suspect following the conclusions of the inquiry.

The flamingo was killed at Salina Bay on the night of June 3-4.

It had been under watch from police officers and conservationists due to concerns that it would be targeted by poachers, but they abandoned the watch that evening because they thought it had flown away.

Later, local residents reported hearing a gunshot and seeing a young man wading through the water with the shot bird before placing the body in an SUV and speeding off.

The shooting was headline news for several days and prompted widespread condemnation from hunters, conservationists and the public in general.

A man from Naxxar and his two cousins were arrested on June 4 after a white Mitsubishi Pajero car, used by the alleged poachers to escape, was found abandoned in Burmarrad.

According to the police, traces of flamingo feathers were found in the car.

On July 18, Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit said investigators were awaiting the results of scientific tests before arraigning a suspect who allegedly shot the flamingo.