A man wanted by police for a pending court case was found in record time… because he was in prison all along.

On Thursday afternoon, police issued a call to the public to help them locate a 36-year-old man named Marzoq Abdelaziz.

Two hours after the call police simply said that “the person is no longer being sought”. It clearly wasn’t that difficult to find him, because Abdelaziz was in Paola all along, serving a three-year prison sentence.

Abdelaziz is currently serving time in Division 1 at Corradino Correctional Facility after admitting to stealing from four shops in Ħamrun, Marsa, and Sliema over six months to allegedly fund his drug habit.

The absurd claim was first made public by lawyer Jason Azzopardi, who wasn’t amused, asking  Angelo Gafà: “Just what are you doing as police commissioner?”

“You issue a notice that you are searching for this man, ask for the public’s help to find him, when this man was in prison all along (in Division One, just so you know),” he asked.

“He was in custody and you never even realised?”

Does Malta’s police need admin help?