Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/798939
2 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 MARCH 2017 News Activists slam ITS 'land grab' by big business PAUL COCKS MATTHEW VELLA THE former minister for energy, Konrad Mizzi, was upended as he took the mic during the Gvern li Jisma' public consultation roadshow, when protesters from Moviment Graffitti stormed onto the stage. Wearing pig masks, the pro- testors took to the stage, stood behind Konrad Mizzi and flung fake banknotes over him, and silently picketed the event by holding up posters protesting the government's sale of public land. One of them read, 'Sale – 90% of public land, valid only for the su- per-rich while stock lasts'; anoth- er listed the Tigné Point, Zonqor, Manoel Island, Chambray, White Rocks, ITS, Pendergardens, Por- tomaso, Dock 1, Smart City and Fort Cambridge projects as ex- amples of the government and the business class "pigging out at the people's expense". Mizzi at first appeared to be momentarily stunned by the event, before regaining compo- sure. Taking the mic again, he calmly said that the protestors had "every right to demonstrate" as the audience started booing them. As the protesters stood silently behind the three government of- ficials, the latter delivered their opening addresses and went on to take questions from the pub- lic. After 15 minutes, the protest- ers walked down from the stage and made their way, through a relatively hostile crowd, towards the exit. In a statement, Moviment Graf- fitti said the action was carried out to denounce the transfer of public land for private profits, particularly the shameful "deal" with the DB Group. "This is a land grab by big busi- ness," the activists said, arguing that public land currently used for educational purposes, with an estimated value of €212 mil- lion, was given to the DB Group for the risible price of €15 mil- lion, for private development. "Just imagine the sky-high profits the DB Group will be har- vesting from land that was once the property of all Maltese citi- zens," Moviment Graffitti said. It added that the government would be spending at least €75 million to relocate ITS to Smart- City: "Not only was public land given for a pittance to a private company, but the Maltese people will also end up paying in order for Silvio Debono to make his chunky profits." Since the €15 million will be paid over an eight-year period at a zero-interest rate, Graffitti argued that it seems that such interest-free "loans" are only available to the super-rich. "Most Maltese people have to pay, throughout the larger part of their lifetime, interest-laden loans just to be able to have a roof over their head. "This land is being given to a company that boasts of having flouted the law on political par- ty financing. So, did this 'deal' come about as a result of the company's shady practices?" Graffitti argued that both Na- tionalist and Labour administra- tions have given out swathes of public land for private interests – Tigne Point, Manoel Island, Zonqor, Dock 1, Fort Chambray, Portomaso, Penderplace, Fort Cambridge, SmartCity, ITS and others. "Malta is being sold out to the super-rich. We have to wake up and stop this plundering. Public land is to be used for the collec- tive well-being and not for big business to make its profits." BWSC heavy fuel oil use to end in April The remaining four heavy-fuel oil turbines of the BWSC plant in Delimara will be permanently switched off by next month, Miz- zi said. Mizzi, who was addressing the public meeting with transport minister Joe Mizzi and parlia- mentary secretary Roderick Galdes, said that with the other four turbines having already been converted to fire on gas, the last four turbines would be dis- mantled as there was no need for them to be converted for gas use as well. Mizzi also announced a new project – New Water – that will be providing up to seven million litres of treated water to the agri- culture industry. He said three water treatment plants will be set up – with the first one to be built in Tac- Cumnija, in Mellieha – so that farmers will be able to make use of this water instead of the salty water they used so far. Under the new project, the gov- ernment will be providing water of the highest quality; in fact, he said, only Israel and Singapore provide better-quality water for agricultural use. AFM soldier acquitted of covering up Malian's fatal beating, says man was kicked MATTHEW AGIUS AFM soldier Gordon Pickard has testified in the compilation of evi- dence against two other soldiers, Sergeant Mark Anthony Dimech and Gunner Clive Cuschieri, who are accused of the 2012 murder of an escaped detainee. Lance Bombardier Pickard, 38, of Zabbar, testified after his convic- tion for tampering with evidence related to the investigation into the death of escaped Malian migrant, 32-year-old Mamadou Kamara, during his recapture in 2012 was overturned on appeal last Novem- ber. Kamara died in the back of a detention service van, shortly af- ter being repeatedly kicked in the groin. Forensic expert Mario Scerri, who conducted a detailed analysis on the corpse of the migrant, had concluded that Kamara had died as a result of the blunt trauma he sustained, which had triggered a vasovagal attack. In November 2015, Ms Justice Ed- wina Grima, presiding the Court of Criminal Appeal, overturned Pick- ard's conviction for suppressing evidence, holding that he had been convicted of the wrong offence. From the witness stand yesterday, Pickard said that in 2012, he had been a bombardier stationed at Hal Safi detention centre and had been in charge of the 12-man shift on duty at the time of Kamara's death. The personnel were a mix of casual workers (Detention Officers) and AFM, he said. He told the court that he had already been stationed there for 10 years at the time. Sergeant Mark Anthony Dimech was the NCO in charge of that shift, he said. Asked what kind of steps would be taken to deal with troublesome inmates, he said several methods would be employed, including plac- ing troublemakers in an isolation room, described as "a cell, not very big, with bars". It would be used both for medical isolations and misbehaviour cases, he said. The decision to place an inmate in isola- tion would be taken by the person in charge, an officer or NCO. "In this case, Sgt Dimech made the de- cision. A lot of trouble had broken out because the other immigrants didn't want him [Kamara] to stay with them." "That day, I started work at 6:20pm at B Block, taking over from Sgt Casha. He told me they were taking care of an immigrant who was mentally unstable. He was crazy, taking people's things... at one point asking for a joint." Over two hours that morning, the wit- ness said he had received a lot of complaints, and in the meantime that the man was picking on peo- ple, pushing them and so on. "I saw him taking people's things with my own eyes, as well as receiving re- ports from other detainees." Inspector Arnaud asked him whether he had informed Sgt Di- mech of the troublemaking im- migrant after receiving the hando- ver. He said he had not because he wanted to investigate for him- self first. He informed Dimech at 8:30pm. Kamara had asked to be taken to the polyclinic, saying "I want doc- tor, I want doctor." Pickard, Dimech and Cuschieri had driven the man to a polyclinic. "The detainee is placed in a cage in the back of the van, there is a bench for the casuals and the driver and passenger sit at the front." Asked about the man's behaviour the witness said he "wasn't acting right, saying all kinds of things..." After about 45 minutes, the doctors certified him as healthy but made an appointment for a psychiatrist to see him the next day. "We returned him to B Block and a commotion broke out because the other immi- grants didn't want him... They said they were scared that he was going to strangle someone." Asked if Ka- mara was violent, he said Kamara was pushing people around at that point. "The other detainees refused to have him back. The decision was taken by Dimech to place him in an isolation room." "I opened the gate to let him out. Another immigrant was talking to Sgt Dimech and I had the gate keys in my hand. Kamara suddenly decked a casual and ran off." The witness said he chased the detainee for around 200 metres but Kamara had then jumped over the fence. The officers had gone out in a detention centre van to try and recapture the escapee. The witness said that he had joined the search some 10 minutes later with his personal vehicle. "On my way back I saw the immigrant climbing a wall in a side street and I stopped to tell him to halt and let us help. He said something I didn't un- derstand and he leapt over the wall. Dimech arrived at that point and I told him to go around because he was going to go over the next wall." He carried on searching using a torch and noticed a detention cen- tre van. His mobile was ringing and it was gunner Cuschieri. "I didn't answer because I arrived at that point." When he caught up with the van he said he had seen Cuschieri kicking the man. "I saw Gunner Cuschieri kick him twice in the abdomen and head. I told him to slow down." Kamara had been lash- ing out at the officers with his arms and legs, he said and he had even- tually placed the immigrant in an arm lock as they had no handcuffs available at the time. "He struggled as he was being placed in the van. Dimech held his legs and I held one of his arms. Cuschieri closed the cage." Pickard was unable to recall the order of dress Cuschieri was wearing. "I sent Clive to move his car. Sgt Dimech and I put him in the back of the van. When we sat him down in the van he flew at us again." He called the detention cen- tre to ensure handcuffs were ready at the gate. When they arrived at Safi, Dimech had cuffed Kamara's feet whilst the other soldiers cuffed his hands. They drove to Paola polyclinic after that. Two casuals travelled in the cage with Kamara for the trip, whilst the witness sat behind the driver. "When we put the handcuffs on him he stopped struggling. He said something but I didn't understand him. "Dimech had gone to the doctor as he had suffered bruises and his hands were covered in blood, and I went to get the wheelchair. When I got back they told me he was unre- sponsive. "Experience has taught us that sometimes immigrants don't an- swer and when we open the door they escape. This has happened several times. I called the doctor down and when he arrived he said 'He's dead.' I was shocked and in- formed Dimech." Pickard said he had not asked Di- mech about the injuries he had suf- fered. The casuals had told him that Cuschieri had also been injured but added that he had not seen the inju- ries himself. When Clive Cuschieri kicked the immigrant the man was trying to get up, he said. Cuschieri had been standing at the time. Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell objected to the prosecution mak- ing reference to a statement made by Cuschieri in the absence of a lawyer. He had released them after consulting with a lawyer, replied inspector Arnaud. "What disclo- sure did you give him? Zero," the lawyer shot back. The magistrate pointed out that it had been estab- lished that a lawyer must be pre- sent during questioning, too. He had released a second state- ment after being reminded about something he had left out of his first, Pickard said. Asked to clarify what it was that he had been re- minded about, he said that it was about Cuschieri kicking the im- migrant. He insisted that he had The witness denied being told to give a false version of events when the three men spoke whilst waiting for the police to arrive, outside the Paola polyclinic