A police officer is expected to be arraigned and two others have been disciplined over allegations by a hunter that he bribed policemen in exchange for tip offs on raids and other favours.

The claims, made by the 38-year old hunter after he was arrested over illegal hunting in April, led to an internal investigation headed by Police Commissioner John Rizzo, police sources said.

The officers formed part of the administrative law enforcement unit, which, among other duties, watches over hunters.

The investigation is looking into the operations of the unit to find out what could have happened, the sources said. Other officers could have been involved.

Two of the officers indicated by the hunter have already been disciplined internally over less serious claims and bribery charges have been filed against a third officer, who still has to appear in court, the sources said.

The police would not comment officially about the matter, saying it would not be prudent since the case was now in court.

The hunter is known to the police and had been prosecuted in the past, the sources said. He was arrested in Mtarfa last April after the police were called in by BirdLife Malta activists. He was charged with hunting illegally during the closed season. The case is still pending.