Watch: Miriam Dalli Praises Police For Camilleri Arrest – But Plays Down Cocaine-Fuelled Violence Fears
Energy and Environment Minister Miriam Dalli has praised the police for the manner in which they handled the arrest of Jeremie Camilleri, the suspect behind the fatal car crash that led to the death of Pelin Kaya.
“I saw the police’s reaction and I must praise them for it because I thought it was quite effective,” Dalli said in a new interview with Lovin Malta.
Camilleri was arrested after fatally running over 30-year-old Turkish national Pelin Kaya in Gżira, also driving into a petrol station and a KFC restaurant. He was reportedly high on cocaine at the time of the incident.
Footage published by Lovin Malta shows Camilleri taunting two police officers to “take him down easy” before the officers tase him, tackle his prone body to the ground, and arrest him.
Dalli said she was shocked when she read the news and saw CCTV footage of the incident.
“I won’t delve into the merits of the case because police investigations are ongoing and we must await their outcome. However, it is a serious case that must be taken seriously,” she said.
However, the minister played down concerns raised by Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) that Malta is witnessing a rise in drug-related violence.
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“I cannot speak about perceptions but about facts,” she said. “The most recent report by university researchers on crime in Malta that I’ve seen showed that crime remained stable and even declined in some cases. However, that doesn’t dilute the gravity of this specific case.”
Dalli appeared to be referring to the latest crime review published by CrimeMalta, a research observatory spearheaded by criminology lecturer Saviour Formosa.
The report found that crime has plateaued. Around 16,000 police reports were filed in 2021, representing a 20.6% increase over 2020 but a 1.3% increase over 2019. Formosa ruled that the sharp 2020 reduction was an anomaly based on significant societal disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 742 cases of bodily harm was the lowest number seen since 2004, with Formosa arguing that this indicates Maltese society is becoming “more tolerant and less violent”.
Lovin Malta’s full interview with Miriam Dalli will be published in the coming days.
What do you make of Dalli’s assessment?
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