Xarabank TV host Peppi Azzopardi has echoed the narrative that intoxicated people should be first taken to hospital, and not a jail cell, following the tragic death of Richmond Tong earlier this week.

The outspoken TV host took to the show’s social media channels to discuss the shocking death of the 35-year-old and lambasted police for their lack of responsibility which, according to Peppi, played a role in the man’s death.

“When I was younger, I wrote a play about a young man who passed out from a drug overdose,” he began.

“When the police and doctor arrived, they began arguing about where to take him. As they were discussing, the young man died.”

“This week, this play became a reality.”

Tong was placed in a jail cell at the Floriana police depot after he was arrested early Wednesday morning when police thought he was acting suspiciously and found what they suspected to be drugs on him.

“They caught him with drugs, it was clear that he was on drugs – they took him to the depot and put him in a cell and left him there.”

“Why didn’t they take him to the hospital? He is a patient, his place is hospital,” Peppi continued.

Earlier this week, a veteran police officer echoed a similar narrative, making the point that intoxicated people belong in a hospital and not a jail cell.

Tong died shortly after he was arrested after he suffered a seizure in his jail cell. Unfortunately, he isn’t the first victim to die under such circumstances.

“Another one died in a cell, we should be ashamed,” Peppi continued.

“This is your responsibility,” he says in reference to the police.

An inquiry headed by Magistrate Josette Demicoli is investigating the incident, and the PN have also called for an independent inquiry to see whether all protocols were followed and if Richmond’s death could have been prevented.

“People who take drugs are people who need help to recover, and not be thrown in a cell,” Peppi ended.

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