Disciplinary proceedings against Assistant Commissioner Ian Abdilla have stalled with the case against him lying in limbo. 

Proceedings against Abdilla over his alleged inaction during his tenure as the head of the Economic Crimes Unit started over a year ago. However, sources told Lovin Malta that they are concerned about the lengthy time the proceedings have taken.

Abdilla was suspended from the Malta Police Force in August 2021 following years of scandal and criticism. 

Abdilla, who led the Economic Crimes Unit up until January 2020, has faced stinging criticism for alleged inaction on financial crimes, particularly when it came to investigating top officials in the government.

The unit has since been reformed into the Financial Crimes Investigations Department. However, it is facing its own challenges with The Times of Malta reporting that prospective new head Frank Tabone is leaving the force.

The public inquiry linked to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia revealed that Abdilla even met with the then-OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri to discuss excerpts from FIAU reports which concerned the latter.

He also allegedly held a secret meeting with the FIAU head, the day before he submitted a report on Konrad Mizzi to a magisterial inquiry.

According to anti-money laundering laws, when an investigator tips off a suspect it constitutes an offence.

Money laundering prosecutions were generally worryingly low under Abdilla’s tenure. That has changed since then, with major reforms in the newly-formed Financial Crimes Investigation Department yielding significant results. However, the unit now faces criticism for being overzealous in prosecutions.  

Abdilla was removed from Economic Crimes in January 2020 but continued to serve as an Assistant Commissioner in a more administrative role. 

Sources informed Lovin Malta that officers discovered that Abdilla had conducted little to no work on major crimes involving major officials during this tenure.

More recently, his tenure has also faced criticism over the handling of the Ryan Schembri case following his recent extradition.

What do you think of the delay?