Whereabouts of gold chain connected to Zahra murder still unknown

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a gold chain, connected to the murder of Matthew Zahra, from police HQ shows no sign of abating. 

Police CID Inspector Fabian Fleri exhibited a photograph of the chain, a central piece of evidence in the murder investigation, to the court, testifiying that in 2013, he had been informed by his superiors that Inspector Melvin Camilleri had gone to the quartermaster stores in police HQ and asked to see the gold chain at the centre of this case. The chain could not be found.

Camilleri then contacted the inspector responsible for the quartermaster stores and conducted searches, questioning several people. In spite of this however the chain was not found. The item had last been recorded in the stores on the 25 August 2012 before being reported missing on the 16 May 2013. There was no record of it being withdrawn from the stores.

Franco Debono, defending Ronald Urry, who stands accused of the murder of Zahra, cross-examined the inspector, asking him whether there was any CCTV footage of the area. Fleri replied in the negative, “at the time there was no CCTV in the area”, he told the court.

 “So we agree that the objects stored there are very sensitive – but there were no CCTV cameras there at the time. No further questions,” said Debono.

Fleri added that the police had investigated several persons in connection with the disappearance of the chain but there was insufficient evidence to press charges. 

Lawyer Joe Giglio, representing Jason Galea, told the court that Galea had insisted that the chain was taken from Zahra as part payment for the usury.

“This was the version Galea gave us,” agreed Fleri, “however other versions say it was taken from Zahra’s body".

The case will continue in January.