The tragic death of Gunner Matthew Psaila during a training exercise last February prompted no fewer than three formal inquiries into the circumstances leading to his death.
The first was the standard magisterial inquiry, which follows automatically when an accidental death occurs.
The second was the Armed Forces of Malta's own board of inquiry, an internal military inquiry which, again normally, starts when there has been an unusual incident.
The third inquiry was launched by the Office of the Prime Minister, which is directly responsible for the AFM, and was chaired by retired Judge Victor Caruana Colombo with former AFM Commander, Brigadier John Spiteri and Joseph Sultana as its members.
The Caruana Colombo report has been submitted and the findings published. The Times had called for the publication of such inquiries to ensure proper accountability is established and that key lessons are learnt. The Prime Minister and the AFM commander are therefore to be commended for this and one can only hope and trust that other ministers would follow this overdue lead in transparency. Alas, the Justice Ministry has already missed such a chance when it failed to release the findings of the magisterial inquiry into the fatality.
But, to go back to the Caruana Colombo report, the conclusions have exposed the clash The Times had feared might arise when it became apparent that not one but three inquiries into the same incident were to be held.
The Caruana Colombo inquiry has concluded that the death of Gunner Psaila was a case of "misadventure", adding: "No individual can be held to blame for the death of Gunner Matthew Psaila".
This, it must be pointed out, was said after Lieutenant Christian Vella and Lance Bombardier Marvic Peregin were charged with the involuntary homicide of Gunner Psaila through negligence.
And the plot thickens. Only last week, a court expert appointed by the inquiring magistrate, Brigadier Maurice Calleja, a former-AFM commander himself, testified that this tragic death could have been avoided.
In the circumstances, a number of questions inevitably arise, the most important of which directly affect the future life, well-being and careers of Lieutenant Vella and Lance Bombardier Peregin and the fair exercise of justice under the law.
An eminent retired judge, supported by two distinguished members - one of whom with close experience of the army's operations and training requirements - sitting for several months, taking evidence from a range of individuals directly involved in the incident and the AFM's chain of command, have concluded unequivocally that this was a case of misadventure with no individual to be held culpable.
On the other hand, a court expert notes there had been a number of factors contributing to Gunner Psaila's death.
These two factors and the officers' arraignment simply do not square up. To the ordinary man in the street, at least, they seem to be diametrically opposed. Indeed, some, notably the defence teams, may even argue that the Caruana Colombo inquiry affects - possibly prejudices - the court case now in progress.
This incident calls into question the wisdom of holding multiple inquiries into the same event. Keeping their findings confidential is not the answer. Taking a different approach could be.