“omicidio Ghirxi: il fratello accusa, ‘la polizia non ha ascoltato gli avvertimenti'”

John Ghirxi believes the police failed to act on warnings raised by Nicolette (picture) in the hours leading up to her murder. File Photo.

Nicolette Ghirxi’s brother has labelled as “a farce” the inquiry by the Police Complaints Board into the events leading up to her murder.

Speaking to Times of Malta after the inquiry report’s publication, John Ghirxi disputed the findings, highlighting that the police had failed to act despite Nicolette’s expressed concerns.

Earlier, he had vented his frustration on social media.

Screenshot: Facebook

Reacting to the conclusions of the inquiry underneath a story published on Times of Malta’s facebook wall, Ghirxi was unequivocal: “Today my sister has been killed a second time.”

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The inquiry absolved the police of responsibility but highlighted how Nicolette had informed the police on August 8 that her former partner, Edward Johnston, was back in Malta and that she was “worried” for her safety.

Despite this, the report revealed that no further action was taken, with the inspector preoccupied with other duties at the time.

The PCB concluded that there was no clear indication of an imminent threat, stating that Johnston’s messages to Nicolette were considered “mere words, insults, and harassment.”

Ghirxi told Times of Malta he believes that the police failed to act on warnings and concerns raised by Nicolette in the hours leading up to her murder.

He rejected claims that his sister had refused to undergo a risk assessment, pointing out that Nicolette had been discouraged from doing so by authorities, as revealed in a voice note she sent to a friend on April 22, the day she filed a domestic violence report.

FSWS have disputed this version of events.

The PCB report indicates that the police inspector responsible for the case, during that weekend was occupied with human trafficking work, and since Nicolette’s case was deemed low-risk, he had not yet developed the information he needed.

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The PCB also established that police had no grounds to arrest Nicolette Ghirxi’s murderer when he returned to Malta in early August, but “the only thing [they] could have done was summon him for questioning.”

Nicolette Ghirxi was murdered allegedly by her former partner Edward Johnston late at night on August 11.

Her body was found in her apartment in Swatar hours after the murder.

Johnston was shot by the police after a three-hour standoff in St Julian’s on August 12 at 3am.