Policemen charged with serious crime had not been suspended despite pending court proceedings, a senior officer claimed yesterday.

The claim was made by Police Inspector Jeffrey Cilia who has been suspended pending charges of seriously injuring one of three brothers in an assault in Paceville in December 2011.

Mr Cilia, 40, of Balzan and his friend, Giuseppi Farrugia, 41, of Għargħur, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In a judicial protest, he said that not only were other police officers charged over far more serious crimes and not suspended but his suspension was also illegal because procedures were not carried out accord-ing to law.

The protest was filed against, the Police Commissioner, the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Minister.

He said that Assistant Police Commissioner Lawrence Cauchi, who investigated his case, was a personal and intimate friend of the alleged victims and failed to declare this conflict of interest.

The previous Police Commissioner, John Rizzo, had ignored this conflict of interest and action against the alleged victims was only taken when he filed a formal challenge for action to be taken, Mr Cilia said.

He pointed out that he had been a senior inspector since 1999, had participated in major investigations and formed part of prosecution teams that had successfully presented their cases.

He spent nine years in the Criminal Investigation Department and four within the Security Service and was also offered the position of director of prisons, along with a promotion to superintendent, which he said he had turned down because he was still young at the time.

He said that when he was suspended he was not given any chance to defend himself before the Public Service Commission despite formally asking for his version of events to be heard.

On August 9, “a departmental circular for internal calls” was circulated among police inspectors for the post of superintendent but he had not been notified about it although he still formed part of the force, he said.

Of the 24 inspectors that applied for the post, he was the sixth most senior and it was up to the adjudication board to decide his eligibility for the post and not the Police Commissioner, he said.

He asked the courts to order he be considered as being among the applicants to fill the vacancy and held the authorities responsible for any damages.

Lawyer Edward Gatt signed the protest.