Breaking news: the Police Minister’s driver shot at one of the Police Minister’s commercial-law clients

Published: November 21, 2014 at 1:22pm
Manuel Mallia's problems are bigger than we thought: the man his driver shot at three times turns to have been one of his commercial-law clients

Manuel Mallia’s problems are bigger than we thought: the man his driver shot at three times turns to have been one of his commercial-law clients

Yesterday Malta Right Now reported that when he was arrested and taken into police custody, Steve Morrison Smith – the man Manuel Mallia’s driver shot at three times – asked to be allowed to contact his lawyer.

The lawyer he asked for was Manuel Mallia.

No details were reported as to what happened after that.

But today I can report that Manuel Mallia was indeed commercial legal counsel to Waterbus International Ltd, the company set up in Malta by Steve Morrison Smith and his father, which makes amphibious vehicles for the international market.

Mallia represented Morrison Smith and Waterbus International Ltd in a commercial dispute with the Transport Association (association/union of Maltese bus owners).

Morrison Smith must have been very surprised to learn – that is, if the police saw fit to tell him at all – that the man who drew a gun on him and shot at him as he fled is his lawyer’s driver.




39 Comments Comment

  1. M says:

    Another penny has dropped. Thanks.

  2. ciccio says:

    Surely another case of conflict of interest. It would be hilarious were it not so sad and dangerous.

  3. Jozef says:

    X’kumbinazzjoni.

  4. missejna il- qiegh says:

    The only venture Joseph Muscat’s PL has succeeded in , with flying colours – their unparalleled ability in keeping us entertained on a 24/7 basis.

  5. missejna il- qiegh says:

    Bdejna kmieni bil-pantomini tal-Milied dis-sena. Minflok id-dame, ha jkollna iz-zring.

  6. Makjavel says:

    This better than watching 24 HOURS.

  7. Spock says:

    How are the mighty fallen .

  8. We're screwed says:

    The biggest problem is that so much is happening that we do not have time to focus on the issues.

    In not much more than a week we have had the following “breaking news” stories.

    Development proposed in ODZ area in Marsaskala

    Labour MP Luciano Busuttil referred by no less than the Court of Appeal to the Commission for the Administration of Justice and the Attorney-General, for investigation into interference in a tender award

    Direct interference by Economy Minister Chris Cardona in casino tender process

    Development on Minister’s land despite MEPA orders

    Court injunction to stop the government signing a contract with Autobuses de Leon

    Three months away from deadline, the power station is nowhere to be seen and the government gives out signals that it has to go back to the drawing-board

    I have probably left out a few.

    Each of these deserves front page coverage, investigations and resignations – but at the moment it seems like “more bad news is good news” as we simply focus on the latest episode, ignoring the previous one because our mind and spirit cannot cope with the depression overload.

  9. Qeghdin Sew says:

    Who can blame the owner of an amphibious vehicles business for using the services of a bullfrog?

  10. J.A.Gauci says:

    Incredible – u imbaghad fil-films nghidu li mhux veru grat l-istorja.

  11. A Montebello says:

    How does Mallia (and Muscat for that matter) carry on after this?

    On some level Mallia must know that the noble thing to do would be to hand in his resignation immediately – if for nothing else, for blatantly lying to the nation – but he chooses not to.

    How will people react to him knowing what a callous, no scruples individual he is? And how can he continue knowing at the back in his mind that people will never, ever fully trust him unless they’re criminally minded and he’s going to get them of.

    There will always be people, from every camp, whispering behind his back.

    The same way we do when we see Cyrus Engerer, John Dalli, JPO, Mugliett, Debono, Konrad Mizzi, Luciano Busuttil and Anton Refalo?

    How? I ask because I can’t wrap my head around it.

  12. P Shaw says:

    Stephen King should visit in Malta for some inspiration needed for his next book.

  13. Mark says:

    ‪#‎FreeSteveMorrisonSmith‬

  14. Tabatha White says:

    Do you think the marmalja can follow?

    This is just what a serious nation, concerned with business development, FDI and job creation should be focusing on. Does Mario Vella have any comment?

    How much of Government resources have been wasted in covering up this shameful farce?

    And Sheehan still has not been arrested.

    Manwel Mallia still has not been sacked.

    To say that Joseph Muscat “has lost control of his Ministers” is a polite way of saying he’s got no balls.

    The consequences he is afraid of now will only get worse.

  15. Giovanni says:

    Briton shot at by minister’s driver released from police custody.

    Called by Times of Malta at his home this morning, Mr Smith’s father said his son was asleep and did not want to speak to the media.

    I expect that Mr. Smith’s son should speak to the media that uncovered the false allegations and at the same time respect all the readers who supported his son.

    [Daphne – In his position I would do the same right now.]

  16. aidan says:

    Issa c-cans ta’ film minn Bagolluwood.

    • Robert Pace Bonello says:

      Could this have been a publicity stunt to impress Bollywood and attract some series about Mexican cops? Perhaps it was intended to promote Malta to “Scottish” businesses to invest in Malta or designed to improve brand Malta.

  17. manum says:

    This is to Labour’s advantage: too many things occurring at the same time, very frequent and not enough memory to remember them. What a shame.

  18. Francis Saliba M.D. says:

    One more instance of the complications that arise when a prominent criminal defence lawyer lawyer escalates to a Minister i/c the Police and when his former clients, inside and outside the criminal class, do not appreciate the change of role but the public in general would fear a conflict of interest.

  19. M. Borg says:

    If Morrison was in his senses he would not have called Mallia as Mallia cannot work as a lawyer.

    Just because Mallia in the past had worked for him he thought, most probably, that as a minister he could get him off the hook for drunken driving.

    [Daphne – Nobody who has just been shot at three times by a rogue stranger would have, foremost in his mind while in police custody, drunken driving charges. Surely that should be obvious. I think that you do have a point in that this is the reason he might have asked for Manuel Mallia, indeed – but not to get him off ‘drunk driving’ charges but to get help in a mad situation where he has just been shot at three times and yet been arrested himself.]

    • ken il malti says:

      Mr Morrison Smith just wanted to personally tell Mr Toad that he will have his money and there will be no need to be beaten by the police while in custody or shot at while driving.

  20. Gordon says:

    Is Manuel Mallia wearing a soldier’s belt as a bracelet?

  21. A Montebello says:

    Morrison has been released and is refusing to speak to the press.

    I think it’s safe to assume that Mallia got to him first.

    Please, Daphne, don’t let go of this one.

  22. observer says:

    Ever heard of ‘dramatic irony’? This is just it, my friends,

  23. Manuel says:

    Labour created a culture of fear.

    No one, and especially within the Police Force itself, will ever conduct a serious, independent and objective investigation, while Mallia is still in office.

    It is this culture of fear that gets to people. Mallia proved to be such a macho, that even the PM himself is not able to control him.

    So, do we expect a clean investigation on this incident? I don’t think so.

    It’s back to the Mintoffian cover-up days, and which later where endorsed by “Saint” Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.

    With regards to the uploaded video, Muscat’s body language, when pressed hard by journalists, says it all.

    He is a pussy when it comes to Mallia.

  24. Frans Cassar says:

    The problem is that Mallia is not just one of a kind because there’s more of him in the ministers’ cabinet with a different name.

    Poor Malta, your future is your past – a return to the golden years of Labour and probably worse.

  25. Karl Consiglio says:

    The plot thickens!

  26. ian says:

    You just couldn’t script this. This is better than any series I’m watching at the moment.

  27. U Le! says:

    Following this story is like watching Boardwalk Empire.

  28. Dott Abjad says:

    Oh my, look at the bellies on those army high rankers. In Manwel Mallia copycat mode I see. Tsk, Tsk!

  29. Brian Sinclair says:

    Mallia is a liability. The problem is that he is also dangerous with no scruples. He had his training in the courts.

  30. Rectitude says:

    Questions have been asked about what Paul Sheehan was on that night. If they weren’t as scared to speak as the other neighbours are, you could ask the grocers and confectioners round there. He apparently goes through a box (24) of Red Bull a day.

  31. winston psaila says:

    I really think ‘criminal lawyer’ fits him perfectly.

  32. Tintoretto says:

    Muscat gabar iz-zebel kollu li seta jigbor qabel l-elezzjoni u issa ma jistax jehles minnu.

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