The Prime Minister has offered an amnesty to anyone who is aware of any abuse that may have taken place when Nicholas Azzopardi died after falling from a bastion wall in police custody four years ago.

There were individuals who knew the truth but were scared to speak out

Mr Azzopardi, who died a few days after the fall, claimed from his hospital bed that he had been beaten up and thrown over the wall by police officers who were questioning him over allegations that he sexually abused his seven-year-old daughter.

The police have repeatedly denied the claims, insisting Mr Azzopardi jumped off the bastion. Subsequent inquiries have exonerated them.

However, the matter continued to court controversy and earlier this year the magisterial inquiry was reopened at the Police Commissioner’s request after one of Mr Azzopardi’s police escorts was accused of theft.

Speaking in Parliament last night, Dr Gonzi stressed that his offer of an amnesty should not be construed as an indication that he believed the claims.

However, he also revealed yesterday that another12 people had fallen from the same bastion wall at police headquarters in Floriana. The incidents happened between 2002 and 2011. Mr Azzopardi was the only fatality and the only Maltese man to fall. The rest were foreigners.

Dr Gonzi was answering a parliamentary question by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, who asked about the number of incidents involving people who ‘fell’ off a wall known as tal-klandestini at police headquarters.

Writing in l-Orizzont last April, Mr Bartolo had echoed the doubts expressed by Mr Azzopardi’s relatives on the process. He claimed there were individuals who knew the truth but were scared to speak out.

In Parliament, Dr Gonzi yesterday said the Government was offering an amnesty to anyone with evidence of alleged foul play in Mr Azzopardi’s case.

“The Government has no other interest but for truth to prevail... if anybody knows of any abuse that happened in this case, the Government is willing to give protection and an amnesty to the individual who testifies under oath in court,” Dr Gonzi said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com