Transport Malta Suspends Officials Who Were Filmed Beating Up Driver In Marsa
Two officials who were filmed beating up a man as he was lying down in the middle of the road in Marsa have been suspended pending an investigation.
“I wholeheartedly condemn this behaviour and I have been informed that the officials in question have been suspended pending an internal Transport Malta investigation and a police investigation,” Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia said in comments to ONE and MaltaToday.
The video was believed to have been taken in Qormi Road on 26th October at around 9:30pm and was published by Lovin Malta today.
In it, a dark-skinned man can be seen lying down on the floor with his arms outstretched as Transport Malta officers surround him and sirens wail nearby.
As the man makes a sudden hand movement as though he is about to stand up, a yellow-vested Transport Malta officer steps towards him and he puts his arms back in their original position.
A second officer can then be seen getting off his motorbike, running towards the man and punching him in the head, with the first officer joining in too. As one of the officers move to punch him again, their white-shirted colleagues rush in to physically restrain him.
As the man sits up again, one of the two original officers physically pushes him to the ground, with another officer restraining him again.
While the reason behind this behaviour is as yet unknown, a person on site said he heard the Transport Malta officers discuss how they had chased the man for a long time due to concern that he was drink-driving.
However, he warned it still doesn’t excuse the officers for physically hitting him.
Cover photos: Left: Transport Minister Arron Farrugia, Right: Footage from the incident in Marsa
READ NEXT: Watch: Transport Malta Officials Filmed Beating Up Man Lying Down On The Road In Marsa
