Young Marsa man recounts hearing four shots ring out during the night of Farrugia's murder

A young man was sitting on the sofa in his residence when he heard gunshots ringing out during the night.

Testifying in the compilation of evidence against 27-year-old Deniro Magri, the young man told the court that he heard a total of four shots.

Magri stands accused of having murdered Sylvester Farrugia during the night. Farrugia’s body was found hours later, on Sunday morning in Triq Simpson, by a police officer on her way to work.

Brandon Vassallo, who lives in Triq Ghabex, said he first heard two shots. At first he didn’t make much of it, thinking that it was just fireworks. But he then heard two other shots and a car speeding away.

He said, that he didn’t go out to check what had happened but the following day he found pieces of glass on the sidewalk and in the street.

Police constable Isabella Galea was the second witness to appear before Magistrate Bugeja. Galea, who works at the Marsa police station, was the officer who discovered Farrugia’s body next to a stolen car. She then proceeded to call for police assistance and an ambulance.

Accompanied by other officials, Galea knocked on the doors of the street’s residents but all insisted that they hadn’t heard anything.

Also called to testify by the prosecution was Vincent Schembri, who knew Farrugia. He said that on Saturday 11 February, Farrugia was with Schembri and two others in a garage preparing for a meal that they were going to host the following the day.

Farrugia left the garage at around 1.30am and that was the last time that Schembri saw him. The witness added that he had never heard Schembri talk of having any problems with anyone.