Murdered woman's partner says alleged killer had hurt victim in the past

The partner of murder victim Caroline Magri, has told a court that the man accused of killing her had been violent towards her in the past.

Magri was found dead in her apartment in Ta’ Giorni in September last year.

Baffoe Moses, the father of two of Magri’s children, took the witness stand earlier today in the compilation of evidence against Djibril Ganiou, who is accused of brutally murdering the 41-year-old mother.

Testifying, Moses told Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit that he remembered an occasion when his partner had come home with what appeared to be rope marks on her wrists. He explained that Magri had told him that the marks had been made by Ganiou.

Moses used to live with the victim in her San Gwann apartment. He recalled how, at around 4pm on September 30th last year, he had returned to the flat to find Caroline Magri’s lifeless body on the bed. Magri had not slept at the apartment the previous night, he said and she had not returned by the time he had left for work at around 6:30am the next day.

After finding the body, Moses had walked to the nearest police station to report the incident.

The man became animated, talking faster, as he recalled meeting the accused on a number of previous occasions, saying that all them had ended in conflict. On one occaision the accused had threatened him with a knife and on another the two men had ended up arguing in the street after Moses had noticed his partner’s car near the accused’s home.

Cross examined by defence lawyer Joe Ellis, the witness was asked about his allegations, asking how he had concluded that Ganiou had inflicted the wrist injuries.” The witness replied that it had been Magri herself who had made this allegation.

A police officer from the Hamrun Police station also testified today. He told the court that on September 20th, just a few days before her murder, Magri had gone to the police to report that she had been violently attacked by the accused.

The woman had told officers that she would still meet him occasionally, despite their relationship being over.

Efforts to contact the man on his mobile phone had been unsuccessful, the officer said and Magri had later informed the police that she did not wish to press charges.

Inspector Keith Arnaud from the police Homicide Squad told the court that the witness had told him how on one occasion, the accused had burst into the bedroom where Magri and her partner had been watching a movie together, but had left after the woman threatened to call the police.

The case continues.