‘I Was Betrayed By The System I Had Sworn To Serve’: Police Officer Speaks Out After Five-Year Court Battle
After prevailing in a five-year legal battle over allegations of unfairly pocketing extra duties, a police officer expressed his disillusionment with the integrity of the system he once trusted.
Matthew Azzopardi, who was stationed at the traffic station, was five years ago charged with complicity in an alleged racket to pocket extra duties that weren’t accounted for. He won the case last January, with magistrate Rachel Montebello warning that the prosecution had failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing, and his legal victory has now been confirmed on appeal.
“As a dedicated police officer, I was not only falsely accused but also arrested and stripped of the uniform that I had worn with pride,” Azzopardi said today.
“In that moment, I was no longer seen as an officer of the law. I was treated as a criminal, betrayed by the very system I had sworn to serve. My name was tarnished, my integrity questioned, and my life turned upside down.”
“Last January, after years of battling these unjust accusations, I was finally cleared of all charges in court. Yet, despite the court’s decision, the officials leading the case chose to appeal the Magistrate’s sentence, prolonging my fight for justice.”
“The weight of that decision was heavy, but I refused to let it break me. I stood firm in my truth, knowing that the fight was far from over.”
With the decision now confirmed by the Court of Appeal, Azzopardi said he stands tall and stronger than ever.
“The journey has tested every ounce of my strength, but I have come out the other side, not just vindicated, but more resilient and determined. This experience has shaped me, but it has not defined me. I am still here, still standing, and stronger than ever.”
“I am now the one questioning the Integrity of the system I believed in with such passion.”
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