In a statement on Monday, the Police said that the passport Mr Ali used to leave Malta was not false; however he was lacking an immigration stamp or Visa indicating he entered Malta. Police said this irregularity was “purely administrative”.     

The Police carried out investigations after various media reports pertaining to the case. The Police denied that Mr Ali’s passport presented “serious irregularities” adding that at no point did the Immigration Officers suspect that Mr Ali’s passport was false. The Corp added that the system used by Immigration Officers is internationally implemented and ascertained.  

According to Police, Mr Ali was using the identity of  Ali Kanaan to leave the country, and therefore it was not apparent that he was barred from leaving Malta after a provisional arrest warant issued in March 2001.    

The Police further added that the Prosecution has objected to Mr Ali being granted provision liberty amid fears that he could flee from Malta. Mr Ali was granted bail after the alleged attempted murder of a colleague, Vincent Sammut, whom he shot during an argument in 2001.  

Mr Ali who lived in San Ġwann until he went missing from Malta, was meant to appear in Court on last week on Monday.  When Mr Ali failed to turn up in court by 0900CEST, Magistrate Joe Galea Debono deferred the case. Two hours later, Police were sent out to look for Mr Ali. Searches at his workplace as well as in his wife's and brother's residences proved fruitless. Mr Ali's family said they have not seen him since the previous Saturday.

Mr Ali had been granted bail against a deposit of Lm2,000 and a personal guarantee of Lm5,000.