A court has dismissed a civil suit for damages made by a former officer of the police SMU squad who was suspended and taken to court for his alleged participation in an incident in Rabat in 1987 when members of the SMU opened fire at a crowd which had attended a PN mass meeting.

Joseph John Grech said he had not been found guilty of anything, but during his 12-year suspension owing to the court proceedings he had suffered loss of earnings.

The court heard that while he was suspended Mr Grech was on half pay but the Police Commissioner had accepted his request to work part-time elsewhere.

Once he was acquitted, he was reinstated, promoted and paid his backdated salary, bonuses and cost of living increases in full.

The officer complained that he had lost overtime, sick leave and other extras but the Police Commissioner argued that these were not given automatically to anyone and they were given to those who would have worked for them.

The court dismissed Mr Grech's pleas, noting that he had not even quantified the damages he claimed to have suffered. Furthermore, it resulted that the Police Commissioner had followed regulations and Mr Grech was paid everything he was entitled for in terms of regulations as soon as the case against him was concluded and he was acquitted.

The court said it understood that the suspension from work had caused difficulties, especially financial. In view of the political element of the case which led to his suspension, the court said it could also understand the pressure Mr Grech was under, but how could the Police Commissioner be blamed?

The Police Commissioner had followed regulations and he had shown no ill will to Mr Grech, allowing him to work part-time with third parties while he was under suspension.

The court noted that while Mr Grech was paid what he was due according to regulations, the regulations did not say anything about the payment of interest or payment for work or services which could have been given, but were not.

Furthermore it had not resulted that Mr Grech had lost opportunities for promotion.