10 years ago - The Times
Friday, August 15, 2008
Police to be charged on Paceville beatings
One or more police officers are expected to be charged in the coming days in connection with the alleged beating of two handcuffed migrants in Paceville late in June.
An internal police investigation, launched following a report carried in The Times next day, has recommended that charges be pressed against at least one officer, police sources have told The Times.
Eyewitnesses had mentioned as many as five officers being involved in the beating of one of the migrants, Sudanese Suleiman Abubaker, and another three in that of the other, a 26-year-old Ivorian, Kaba Konate.
However, police sources say only one officer is likely to have been consistently identified by the main eyewitnesses.
The incidents, which occurred a few hours apart from each other, took place in Paceville’s main square very late on a Friday night.
Both migrants had been given suspended sentences for assaulting the police in speedy court proceedings. But several eyewitnesses, spearheaded by Rebecca Filletti, who was arrested on the night of the incident after questioning the methods used by the police, said that they had not seen the immigrants behave violently.
25 years ago - The Sunday Times
Sunday, August 15, 1993
Explosion rocks Żurrieq street
A large bomb went off outside a house in Żurrieq in the early hours of yesterday morning but, fortunately, no one was injured.
The bomb, believed to have been made from pyrotechnic material used to manufacture festa fireworks, exploded just after midnight outside the home of the Cutajar family in Blue Grotto Street.
The owner Joe Cutajar, still in shock hours after the explosion, told The Sunday Times yesterday that he had no idea who might have placed the bomb outside of the house.
“We were upstairs in the room overlooking the street when the bomb went off,” he said, adding that he did not suspect anyone.
Mr Cutajar’s family of five includes an 11-year-old child.
Fortunately for the Cutajar family, the bomb was not placed immediately against the wall of their house as otherwise the explosion could well have brought down the whole facade.
The explosion, however, shook the whole street and caused Mr Cutajar up to Lm 2,000 in damages to tiles, doors, windows and furniture. Some windows of the adjoining houses were also damaged.
Magistrate David Scicluna held an on-site inquiry.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Thursday, August 15, 1968
Opening of blood bank in Valletta
His Most Eminent Highness Prince Fra Angelo de Mojana, Grandmaster of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, yesterday afternoon inaugurated the Blood Bank at the headquarters of the Order’s local association in St Ursula Street, Valletta.
The Blood Bank was set up by the Maltese Association of the Order with the cooperation of the Cathedral Chapter. It was blessed by his grace the Archbishop.
The vice-president of the association, Judge W. Harding, made the opening speech. Judge Harding presented the Grandmaster with a portrait painting of His Eminence, the work of Maltese artist William Apap. The painting was commissioned by the Malta Association and is to be hung at the Grandmaster’s Chancery in Rome.
The Grandmaster spoke of the significance of his State visit to Malta and the challenges and aims of the Order.
Conte Brunatti, representing Fiat of Turin, then presented His Eminence with a Fiat mobile van specially equipped with the advanced equipment for the collection of blood. The ambulance was then presented to the association and blessed.