Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1488125
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 14 DECEMBER 2022 2 KURT SANSONE ANGELO Gafà said the police need more resources to deal with domes- tic violence cases but refrained from identifying failings in the recent mur- der of Bernice Cassar. The Police Commissioner said alle- gations concerning police and other agency failings were the subject of a ministerial inquiry led by former judge Geoffrey Valenzia. "I have to be sensitive in what I say because there are ongoing criminal proceedings and a ministerial in- quiry tasked with probing what could have gone wrong and whether there are things in the system that need to improve," Gafà said on TVM's Xtra, where he was interviewed by Saviour Balzan. Cassar, a mother of two, was mur- dered at the Corradino industrial es- tate by her husband as she drove to work last month. Roderick Cassar has been accused of murder and is the first person to be charged with femicide since the con- cept was introduced earlier this year. Cassar's murder shocked Malta, es- pecially since she had reported her husband to the police and even ob- tained a protection order from the courts. However, police failed to act in a timely manner when Cassar twice reported her husband for breaching the court order. The last report was made just 24 hours before she was shot in the face and chest. The police force has faced flak over inaction after Roderick Cassar failed to turn up when summoned to do so by the police, following his wife's re- port. But Gafà steered clear from pin- pointing any failings, insisting he wanted to wait for the inquiry and its recommendations. The Police Com- missioner said he appeared before judge Valenzia and ensured him of the police force's full cooperation. "Anything I say is of no consolation to the victim's family or survivors of domestic abuse… I want to wait for the inquiry's recommendations, which should then be implemented," he said. Gafà insisted domestic violence re- quired a multi-agency approach. He said a dedicated police unit on do- mestic violence was set up in October 2020 and this has expanded from 20 officers to 35. "It must be said that since the cre- ation of the domestic violence unit, reports have increased substantial- ly. We need more resources but I stress, this is a field that requires a multi-agency approach, or rather a whole-of-society approach," he said. Gafà said that the rate of acquittals after police prosecute an alleged per- petrator is high because in more than three quarters of these cases the al- leged victim chooses not to testify. Police need more resources in fight against domestic violence – Angelo Gafà Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà says reports of domestic violence have increased significantly since a dedicated unit was set up two years' ago San Gwann traffic accident leaves motorcyclist with grievous injuries 24-year-old man hospitalised with grievous injuries after crash A 24-year-old man from Senegal who lives in Msida was hospitalised with griev- ous injuries after a traffic accident in San Gwann. The man was riding a motorcycle at the time of the collision with a Ford Transit driven by a 23-year-old man from Siġġie- wi. Police said the accident happened at 10:45pm on Monday in Triq Salvu Bonan- no, San Ġwann. Police investigations are ongoing. Cyclist seriously injured in Zebbug hit-and-run Hit-and-run leaves 24-year-old cyclist with serious injuries A 24-year-old Colombian man living in Pembroke had to be hospitalised after suf- fering injuries when he was run over by a car that kept going. Police said the alleged accident hap- pened at 7pm on Monday in the limits of Żebbuġ and the man checked in at the Floriana health centre to receive treat- ment. However, he was taken by ambu- lance to Mater Dei Hospital to be treated for serious injuries. Police were informed by the hospital au- thorities of the case at 6am on Tuesday and investigations kicked off immediately. Duty magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace is holding an inquiry. Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà