Inquiry finds no police wrongdoing in fall death

The third inquiry into Nicholas Azzopardi’s 2008 death has again failed to unearth any evidence of wrongdoing. Ariadne Massa gained access to the magistrate’s report. Nicholas Azzopardi’s death immediately courted controversy when on his deathbed he claimed police beat him and threw him off a bastion wall while in custody facing allegations he abused his seven-year-old daughter. Two investigations found no wrongdoing by the police, but when one of the witnesses – PS Adrian Lia, who was escorting Mr Azzopardi just before the incident – was this year charged with stealing some €30,000 from police headquarters, his credibility was undermined. The spectre of doubt reared its head further when earlier this year Mr Azzopardi’s relatives told police they were willing to testify about claims of an intimate relationship between his wife Claudette and the disgraced ex-police officer. This led the Police Commissioner to request the Attorney General to reopen the 2008 magisterial inquiry last March to eliminate any “shadow of doubt”. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi went a step further and earlier this month offered an amnesty to anyone who was aware of any abuse that may have taken place. To...