The Police Board has concluded its investigations into what led the police to arraign the wrong man over a hold-up, Times of Malta has learnt.

The board, headed by Judge Franco Depasquale, is now in the process of finalising its report, which is expected to be submitted to Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia and Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit this week.

The board was tasked with establishing why CID police inspectors Joseph Mercieca and Carlos Cordina mistakenly accused Darryl Borg of a crime he had not committed.

The board also heard Police Inspector Elton Taliana, from the Birkirkara district, who arraigned the perpetrator two days after Mr Borg had appeared in court and was detained in preventive custody. Roderick Grech, 22, from Birkirkara, confessed to the crime. He even handed over to the police the balaclava and the plastic toy gun that were used during the hold-up, which was captured on CCTV.

He had been interrogated by four police officers who bombarded him with questions

Mr Grech was sentenced to 12 months in jail suspended for four years after the court heard that he used the €630 he had stolen to settle gambling debts.

Mr Borg told Times of Malta shortly after his release that he had been interrogated by four police officers who bombarded him with questions, told him they were there to help him and also advised him that if he pleaded guilty to the charges he would get a lighter punishment.

He also claimed that CID officers told him they had crystal clear photographic evidence showing it was him who committed the crime.

The two CID inspectors who arraigned him said in court that Mr Borg had been identified through CCTV footage.

The Police Board proceedings were held behind closed doors though the ministry has already declared it would publish the report once it was concluded.