The independence of the ministerial board of inquiry set up to look into Tuesday’s Ħal Far riot has been called into question given that it is entirely composed of civil servants within the “investigated” ministry.
Doubts about the board’s independence were raised by the Opposition, human rights NGOs as well former government defence advisor Martin Scicluna.
“The board members are not just part of the public service but part of the ministry being investigated. This is the prelude to a whitewash,” Opposition home affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi said.
However, the government is insisting on the board’s independence. On Tuesday, the riot sparked off at Lyster Barracks during a visit by a parliamentary group on a fact-finding mission. Conflicting reports over whether migrants were injured followed.
Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia appointed the inquiry board chaired by Joseph St John, director general of development and policy implementation within the ministry.
The other members are Civil Protection Department deputy head John Agius and Kevin Borg, assistant director at prison. Both the CPD and the prison fall under Dr Mallia’s ministry.
This is the prelude to a whitewash
On hearing about the composition of the board, Neil Falzon, director of human rights NGO Aditus, said he expected the inquiry to be separate from the ministry.
Dr Azzopardi said the choice of the board members “can lead to the conclusion that the inquiry is not transparent and independent”.
Mr Scicluna questioned whether the board members had experience in law and order issues or of what the police should have done.
“In my judgment it would have been far better to have found retired senior police or army officers who know something about dealing with a riot or a law and order breakdown. But we don’t know. Perhaps these people do have that background,” he said.
It would have been better to appoint external individuals who were not part of the system or the ministry, he said.
The Home Affairs Ministry insisted the board was made of competent people and the inquiry did not aim to investigate the ministry but the actions of the disciplinary corps and whether anyone was injured.
Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit, who welcomed the inquiry, said he had no information that anyone was injured. Four migrants were taken to hospital or to a health centre that day. One of them had nothing to do with the riot, while the rest complained of some medical issue while in custody. All were released after being certified to be fine, he said.