Superintendent Patrick Spiteri was arraigned in court on Monday afternoon, charged with accepting bribes.
The 49-year-old Superintendent from Fgura, was accused in front of Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera of involvement in corruption practices allegedly also including helping criminals instead of carrying out his duties and responsibilities.
Superintendent Patrick Spiteri pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the Court ordered Spiteri under house arrest on a deposit of LM1,000 to the Court Registry and against a personal guarantee of LM5,000.
The charges brought against Mr Spiteri were that as a Police official he committed the offences while he was on duty instead of assuring that these crimes are not committed and did not investigate them. He was accused of not passing on information in order to get personal advantages from persons which justice should have been sought. He was also accused of assisting persons in underground money games.
Superintendent Spiteri was also accused of stealing a firearm last Saturday from the Valletta Police Station and keeping this firearm without having the necessary rights to do so.
The investigations are being led by Police Commissioner John Rizzo and Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar.
Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar said that he does not agree that Mr Spiteri should be granted bail since this case damaged the public faith vis-à-vis the Police Institution. Defense lawyer Joe Giglio said that this does not have anything to do yet with the case considering that Mr Spiteri is still presumed as innocent. The Court ruled its understanding of the seriousness of the case and ordered house arrest also for the defendant’s safety.
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