Former assistant police commissioner Mario Tonna has been given a job with the Contracts Department. Photo: Matthew MirabelliFormer assistant police commissioner Mario Tonna has been given a job with the Contracts Department. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Former assistant police commissioner Mario Tonna, who resigned from the force under controversial circumstances, is back on the State payroll, this time as an employee with the Contracts Department.

Last January, Mr Tonna, who at the time headed the police traffic section, made the headlines following a report of domestic abuse filed by his partner. Within days, he had tendered his resignation to the Police Commissioner. However, the report was subsequently withdrawn and no criminal action is believed to have been taken.

Two months down the line, Mr Tonna was once again in the limelight, this time over allegations that he had been involved in a drink-driving incident in Sliema. The former assistant commissioner allegedly drove off after crashing into a number of cars but was subsequently apprehended and questioned by the police. Mr Tonna also failed a breathalyser test. In this case it is not known if criminal charges were filed against him.

Sources told The Sunday Times of Malta that eyebrows were raised when the former assistant commissioner was recently engaged by the Contracts Department.

The Sunday Times of Malta asked the Finance Ministry whether Mr Tonna was recruited following a public call and asked for details about his designation and salary scale grade. Furthermore, the ministry was asked to clarify if Mr Tonna was still under police investigation at the time of his employment, and if so whether this was in line with public service regulations. Despite several reminders, no reply was received by the time of writing. 

The former assistant commissioner was recently engaged by the Contracts Department

Prior to these incidents Mr Tonna had another encounter with the law. In 2011, when he was a police inspector, he was found guilty of intimidating and harassing his superior, Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo. He was also found guilty of making inappropriate use of a mobile phone and of committing a crime he was duty-bound to prevent as a police officer.

The original judgment in Mr Tonna’s case was confirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeal a year later with the exception that he was found guilty of harassment but not intimidation.

Despite this record, he was nonetheless given two promotions following Labour’s return to power in 2013. In August 2015, he was appointed superintendent and two years later was promoted to assistant commissioner.

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