Policeman dismissed for alleged involvement with criminals at Labour victory celebration at JPO’s home

Dismissed policeman, Ivan Portelli, far right, celebrating the Labour victory at Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s (centre) house

In this photograph, the man wearing a peach/orange T-shirt and sunglasses, standing between Dominic Micallef (Tattingers – hands in pockets) and John Ellul, formerly of the Police Forensic Unit and the individual who had gone to Singapore with Magistrate Consuelo Herrera ‘on an investigation’ three years ago, is Ivan Portelli.

The photograph is taken on Sunday, 10 March at Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s home and is a celebration of the Labour victory.

Portelli is one of three police officers (who include the notorious David Gatt, policeman turned lawyer, who later stood trial for alleged involvement in a bank robbery) who were dismissed from the force because of certain matters.

They then fought a case for unfair dismissal and the courts ordered their reinstatement in the force purely on a technical matter and not because of the principle of their case (see links below).

Portelli’s 117 Facebook friends include Matthew Pace, policeman-turned-lawyer Andy Ellul, and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando III, all of whom are in this photo, and also Carmen Pullicino Orlando, Robert Musumeci, Parliamentary Secretary and lapdance-lover Chris Cardona, and David Gatt.

David Gatt had been in the police force for 12 years when he was dismissed in 2001 together with Michael Buttigieg and Ivan Portelli. The dismissal followed a decision by the Public Service Commission over their alleged involvement with criminal activity.

No prior disciplinary action was taken against them and they were not arraigned over the allegations. Instead, they were removed from the force by the Public Service Commission following procedures they did not know about.

An appeals court ordered their reinstatement after ruling that they had been discharged unfairly. The court based its decision on the fact that they had not been told there were procedures against them before the PSC and, therefore, could not defend themselves.

Following the court verdict, the Police Commissioner and the government insisted on their decision, stressing that there had been valid grounds for the dismissal of the officers and that it was not safe to allow their return to the police force. The Police Commissioner asked the Public Service Commission to reconsider the case.

The Constitutional Court then upheld a request by the three men and issued a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop the Police Commissioner from instituting fresh proceedings against them before the PSC.

The men had argued that they had already faced such proceedings in 2001 and that the courts had declared their dismissal unfair.

Ivan Portelli is now being mentioned as a contender for Police Commissioner, in a battle with Audrey Harrison’s (Labour poster girl) husband Neil.

It is in this context that you should frame the current push by the Labour Party/government and Malta Today to have the current incumbent removed – though Malta Today’s motivation clearly also includes the John Dalli factor and his wish to escape trial rather than returning to Malta to face it, given that he claims to be innocent.