Police commissioner Angelo Gafa’ and his wife, police inspector and head of services at the Victim Support Agency Sylvana Gafa’, purchased a detached, three-bedroom villa in Marsaxlokk for €885,000, The Shift can reveal.
The purchase was largely financed through a €612,000 loan granted by Bank of Valletta. The promise-of-sale agreement was signed in 2021.
According to the loan’s repayment structure, the Gafas are bound to pay it back in 12 monthly instalments of €2,384 and 252 monthly instalments of €3,054, a loan spread over 22 years.
Factoring in the interest rate attached to the loan, the repayment of the loan will amount to a total of €798,216, which is a significant amount of debt when considering that the commissioner will reach retirement age by the time the loan term expires.
In other words, the Gafas’ ability to repay the loan would be stretched considerably should the commissioner’s appointment as the head of the police force not be renewed.
His wife also works for the police – besides being a police inspector, Sylvana Gafa’ is the head of the Victim Support Unit within the Police Force. The Victim Support Unit was set up as part of the police’s force’s ‘transformation‘ process, which began under Gafa’s command.
When contacted for comment about the information obtained by The Shift, the police commissioner said the process he and his wife went through to obtain the bank loan “is the same one others would go through”.
“Naturally, the bank was satisfied with our income, all declared, and authorised the loan facility,” Gafa’ added.
When pressed for information about their sources of income, the police commissioner provided documentation that shows that he is paid around €3,900 every four weeks and that his wife makes an average of €2,985 every four weeks. This income is supplemented by an additional €600 from the rental of a property in Għaxaq.
The original loan agreement foresaw an additional €130,000 to be allotted for the refurbishment of the Marsaxlokk villa. Gafa’ later clarified that this additional sum was not disbursed as the commissioner decided to put up an apartment in Għaxaq for sale for €270,000 to finance the refurbishment.
When asked whether he or his wife ever received any lump sums or donations from any third parties, the police commissioner denied this was the case. He also said that there are no third parties acting as guarantors for the loan and that no cession of rights was involved in the transaction.
The Shift obtained two separate estimates for the value of the property in question in an attempt to understand what it would cost to purchase it at market value.
Two different sources with expertise in property evaluation provided The Shift with two different estimates – one source said €1 – €1.2 million, while the other source’s estimate was €1.5 – €2 million.
An advert on social media, posted in October 2020, had put the property up for sale at €1.06 million.
When asked to explain the difference between the valuations outlined above and the purchase price which the Gafas paid, the commissioner said “the declared sum is what we paid. The same property was marketed much less through various property agents than what you are quoting. However, no agents were involved in this acquisition,” Gafa’ said in his response.
Two years of Gafa’
Gafa’ was appointed police commissioner on 8 June 2020, following the removal of his predecessor, Lawrence Cutajar. Cutajar was removed from his post shortly after Prime Minister Robert Abela replaced disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat.
Prior to his appointment to the role of police commissioner, Gafa’ served as CEO of the police force from January 2017 to June 2020, a role that previously did not exist. His contract as CEO was never made public.
While Gafa’ had announced a five-year transformation plan for the corps, the results on the ground, as well as the general morale of the police force, reflect a dismal state of affairs.
In January, the Malta Police Union (MPU) told The Shift that, besides a high rate of officers leaving the corps, there is a lack of consultation between them and the police administration, with the five-year plan itself being outlined without any consultation with officers.
Civil society NGO Repubblika has also been highly critical of Gafa’s tenure as commissioner over the last two years, with the organisation calling for his resignation last June after months of calling for more police prosecution on high-profile corruption cases.
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Dan l-artiklu ma jsemmix li l-eks Deputat Nazzjonalista Jason Azzopardi sejjah lill-Kummissarju Angelo Gafà “korrott” fuq is-social media, u l-Kummissarju ghadu s’issa ma hax azzjoni.
As long as he made his math correctly, it is not a problem. The couple receives a decent income. What is unacceptable is the conditions of police stations and the hardship that our police officers have to face on a daily basis, due to a substantial increase in serious crime and under staffing.
Angelo Gafa needs only to please the government in order to remain as Police Commissioner.
Wow, how much does a police commissioner and a police inspector earn in Malta to be able to buy a ?885,000 villa with pool? So, 12 monthly installments of ?2,384 and 252 monthly installments of ?3,054 over 22 years. Being a police commissioner and police inspector works in Malta, so why is the force short in numbers and recruits? The mind boggles!
His income, as well as his wife’s, are clearly listed in the article
If Gafa grows some balls, prosecutes all the suspects he should prosecute and reorganises the police force and the police stations, then see he can buy any villa he wants as long as the purchase is legit.
Min meta spettur tal pulizija jaqla 3000 euro fix xahar??
Greta Nicholl. Your vulgar language spoiled the discussion!
The commissioner could make six million euros a month, what matters is that he does his duty towards the republic i.e. the people of Malta and not towards any government of the day. Some people have really big issues with distinguishing this and really understanding what level of duty they have.
Let not forget that the loan was approved by BOV, a bank well know to do the dirty work of a dirty government. If any of you readers turned up with the same income, you would not get approved. It is also clear that the amount officially paid is greatly diminished by as much as 50%, which means that more money passed hands out of sight.
This in plain view is why corruption exists – coz you get compensated well. The police are corrupt – its a fact we can state with 100% certainty. Anyone who has ever dealt with them know only too well.
The courts are corrupt to the core – and part of the political system. Educational establishments, Government – the whole structure is rotten to the core and there is no independence or controls or over sight.
As has often been repeated, it is not illegal because we are the law. That is why complete impunity exists. That power is a mandate and not a personal victory is a concept too strange for a backwards people like Maltese to comprehend.
Even the biggest liar or the biggest fool on the island, of which there are a great many, cannot dispute these facts.
Before Christmas 2021, the USA issued an entry ban on Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi due to their known corruption links.
This should have been a Christmas present for Malta and cleaned up properly.
But what have you, Mr Angelo Gafá, done?
You shat on your oath and shat on the law.
It stinks.
Allura ghax kummissarju m?ghandux dritt li jixtri propjeta bhal hadd iehor!!? Anzi ta rendikont tal pagamenti tal- loan u tal- propjeta? li ghandu ghal bejgh. Haddiehor ma kienx jkollu bzonn jiehu loan Jew jbiegh il- propjeta buex jixtri b?dan l- ammont u hadd ma jkun jaf xejn .
Kellu bzonn go Malta hawn erbgha li ghandhom integrita? daqs Kemm ghandu l- kummussarju , kieku ilna li mxejna aktar il-quddiem u Mhux ghadna mwahhla niprovaw nhammgu lil kulhadd !!
Dear Mrs Greta Nicholl,
Angelo Gafá, like ROBBER Abela, is trying to sell himself as a man of honour. In my opinion, they are not:
Although facts have been available from the USA – due to the verifiable corruption of Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri since December 2021 – nothing has been done.
I do not want to say anything here about the sad case of Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg.
The point is to break this injustice and bring down the philistines.
In fact, I too believe that appropriate language is correct:
With what’s going on on Malta, even I can’t eat as much as I want to vomit!
Best,
KLAUS
This is the same bank that guaranteed ?300 MILLION to Electrogas and paid up the bank guarantee for the Gas Storage Tanker lease for another ?300 million , more or less.
Mela is sur Gafa m?ghandux dritt li jkollu dar bhal kull cittadin iehor.
Dan ghamlu b?self legittimu fuqu u fuq Martu .
Nixtieq li dan l-iskrutinju jsir fuq kull min hu prezenti illum jew kellu kariga pubblika .
Vera ghandna biex ikunu kburin bhala poplu li ghandna kummissarju tal Pulizija tal kalibru bravu u ta integrita tas sur Gafa.
Dawn jirrikonoxxuwh sew wkoll il barranin.
This begs the questions:
1.Are the 7k monthly net or gross?
2.Even assuming they are net, since when are BoV entertaining loan applications where applicants will be paying 44% of their income in repayments?
3.Likewise, are BoV approving loans that are more than sevenfold the joint applicants’ net income?
4.Have BoV and the notary conducted a thorough enhanced due diligence considering that the applicants are PEPs?
5.Will the Commissioner for Revenue be sending an architect supposedly to compel the purchasers to pay stamp duty on the deemed valuation – immaterial what they claim to have paid for it?
6.Can such monthly financial burden/commitment in any way affect the zealousness and impartiality, with which the Commissioner of Police deals with the Prime Minister and/or the PM’s colleagues, friends, or ex-clients, considering that his (and his spouse’s) emoluments can be slashed if the PM decides against renewing the Commissioner’s contract?
You really should read the article. Frankly, it’s stretched, but it is possible.
So what, he and his wife work hard, took a bank loan and bought a nice house?. What is the problem here?
May you kindly spell out some of the tangible results (as Police Commissioner) derived from Mr. Gafa’s hard work?
????????????????
Kulhadd ghandu dritt li jkollu dar Mhux is-Sur Gafa biss imma Kulhadd. Li ma nistax nifhem hi haga ohra, li hu kellu pozizzjoni ta? CEO ghal ftit aktar minn tlett snin. X?sar minn din il-pozizzjoni wara li lahaq Kummissarju? Ghalxiex nehhieha mill-ewwel Dik il-pozizzjoni? Ghalxiex ma lahhaqx CEO iehor? Ghandna vera u tassew inkunu kburin bih? Jien ma naqbilx meta jidhlu f?certu tentufiet tal-hajja privata taghhom sa certu punt pero dak huwa parti mix-xoghol tal-gurnalisti. Imma din ghidli, il-pozizzjoni ta? CEO ghax ma regax hadha haddiehor wara li lahaq hu?
Wahda mix xogholijiet siewja li ghamel kienet li nehha l-pozizzjoni ta? CEO tal-Korp. Induna li Dik kienet kariga zejda fi hdan il-Korp u kien jaf minn qabel illi l-Ministru tal-Finanzi kien se jghidlu biex inehhiha maz-zmien u allura ha azzjoni fuqha mill-ewwel. ?????? That was quiet tangible as a result hux! Cut down expenses bla bzonn, imma hu ghamel ftit izjed minn 3 snin jehodha l-paga ta? CEO mal-korp! Lanqas staha jnehhiha dik il-kariga li kien jokkupa hu stess ahseb u ara! Dik kien holoqha l-EX Ministru Carmelo Abela – oppositely for him, lanqas li ma tidhirx li kienet haga tailor made! Uuuu ejja come on! Qumu min hemm!
?????? Jew forsi nehhiha biex ma jirfsulux xi kallu u biex ma jkollux indhil zzejjed???
Let’s put it this way, Gafa’ , contrary to MANY of the previous occupants of the MPF CofP position happens to be well educated, was already a visiting or part-time lecturer at the University of Malta and even if his appointment is terminated after 5 years, I don’t think he would be getting a cleaner’s job.
Judging that I guess in his approx 20 year career he might already have saved enough to buy one property, assuming as well his wife has some sense and maybe brought some money to the table as well, upgrading to another property, paid over 20 years (considering inflation will make the payments less of a chunk), seems like they might manage that very well, and be a future investment.
Which… beggars the question… what is the news value of this article?
If you search on Google and you type, ?Government Scales 2022 Malta?, you will see the salaries. But you won?t see any other related (or non-related – if any, allowances). For those, one has to see their contract. And Especially of those who work within the secretariat pool within specific Ministries, I?m not quite certain if there is another list for them. Also correct me if I?m wrong, his previous position as CEO is not even mentioned in the government scale sheet. Strange! Well! Not strange at all, he simply removed and voided that position he obtained himself for more than 3 years!!!! So??..no need to put on the list.
We are all in this sh..storm due to the way you and many Maltese reason.
There is a great deal of danger in having a police commissioner who is financially burdened. Stop the nonsense about your personal life. If you wish to keep your life private, you should work in the private sector and not in the public sector. Even a clerk responsible for financial matters should be subjected to scrutiny, let alone a police commissioner.
Public means public. Full stop.
Well educated my foot. It is not a big deal if you have one, two, or five degrees. You should understand that there is nothing exceptional about that, as many people are able to accomplish it. My educational background consists of three degrees, and it is not a significant issue for me.
I would advise you not to impress yourself because he is a visiting or part-time lecturer. Only a few lecturers are competent, and most just read the notes without engaging in the discussion.
Having said that, it is better not to joke about the salary and conditions at the corps. He lasted there for 20 years knowing that they were a joke. That speaks volumes.
This story has a great deal of importance. This is because it depicts the Police Commissioner in a manner that clearly indicates that he could or is easily bought because of his financial circumstances.
Knowing all this, and considering his track record as PC, can we rest assured that he will act with integrity and without favoritism? My doubts are strong!
Who guranteed his employment when his term finishes?