Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia yesterday refused to reply to a question by his Opposition counterpart Jason Azzopardi on whether the Rapid Intervention Unit had ordered the car involved in the shooting incident last week to be placed on a low loader.

He said that since there was an Opposition no-confidence motion against him and an inquiry was under way, he would give the requested explanations at the opportune moment.

The car, belonging to a Scotsman who had hit the minister’s car, was placed on the loader before the arrival of the inquiring magistrate.

It had allegedly been shot at by Dr Mallia’s security driver Paul Sheehan.