The police sergeant who interrogated Nicholas Azzopardi and who was revealed to have deceived the police force into believing he had saved a woman from drowning in Sliema a decade ago was promoted last February, MaltaToday can reveal.
Exposed as the officer who was given a gold medal 10 years ago after he duped the government and the police into believing he had saved Mary Farrugia from drowning, PS 656 Adrian Lia was promoted to Police Sergeant barely two months before the ordeal that led to the death of Azzopardi.
Last Wednesday, MaltaToday Midweek revealed how the same police sergeant involved in the Azzopardi investigation was stripped of a gold medal awarded for bravery after it transpired he had fabricated a report claiming he saved Farrugia’s life in December 1997.
And yet, despite the massive embarrassment to the government and the police force – which had lauded Lia’s fictitious heroism – the constable was still promoted to the rank of sergeant earlier this year.
A spokesperson for the police force said Lia faced disciplinary action in line with the Public Service Commission Regulations and had his seniority reduced in September 2000, besides having his medal withdrawn.
But he was still allowed to sit for a promotion examination six years later, leading to his advancement within the force on 12 February this year.
“By virtue of a circular dated 9th June 2006, the Commissioner of Police invited applications from serving male and female constables to register for a course leading to the examination for the promotion to the grade of Police Sergeant,” said WPC Roberta Fenech. “Under that call he was eligible to apply for such a post.”
This is because the same circular stated that constables whose seniority had been reduced because of disciplinary action must have had committed their offence more than three years before 12 July 2006.
“After being successful in all aspects, he was promoted Police Sergeant on 12 February, 2008,” WPC Fenech said.
WPC Fenech added that PS Lia “is still reporting for duty” pending the outcome of the two ongoing inquiries into the death of Azzopardi.
The police would not answer whether PS Lia was the same officer claiming he had sustained injuries trying to “save Azzopardi” from jumping off the bastion wall – an allegation that has yet to be proved given that it does not feature on internal police reports.