Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi yesterday described as a “red herring” the accusation that the Opposition had disrupted a police investigation into cases of drug abuse in prison by flagging up a number of unreported cases.

In Parliament on Monday, Dr Azzopardi asked Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia the reason behind the decision to keep the case of a prisoner who had ingested 60 steroids pills, and a separate case of attempted suicide, under wraps.

Dr Mallia replied that this decision had led to further investigations but remarked that Dr Azzopardi’s decision to go public about these cases had jeopardised the entire operation.

Not even London police could boast of three officials at this rank

Contacted by Times of Malta, Dr Azzopardi argued that the Government was not being consistent, citing a number of recent cases over which the Home Affairs Ministry had issued statements even though investigations were under way.

Among them was the case of two prison officials testing positive for drugs.

The Opposition MP said that in spite of giving the impression that drug abuse in prison had been curbed, in reality this problem was far more challenging and complex than the Home Affairs Ministry made it out to be.

Dr Azzopardi also questioned the reason for the Ministry’s decision to have three deputy police commissioners rather than one. He said not even the London police force could boast of having three officials at this rank.

Dr Mallia had argued that this would allow the Police Commissioner to adopt “a different style of management”.