Ghaxaq man Salvu Dalli, 68, pleads not guilty to wilful homicide of son

The Ghaxaq man accused of shooting dead his own son yesterday, has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the incident in court today.

Salvu Dalli, 68, was accused of the wilful homicide of his son Antoine, 37. Antoine died yesterday after suffering a shotgun blast to the abdomen, allegedly fired by his father.

Sources said the two had rowed after the son had tried to take his father’s money to finance his drug habit. Salvu had recently returned from a stint at Mount Carmel mental hospital, said his lawyer.

The heavily tattooed accused, who appeared in court walking with a cane and accompanied by his other children, pleaded not guilty to wilful homicide and weapons-related charges. He was also accused of recidivism.

Magistrate Astrid May Grima, noting that no request for bail was made, ordered the man be remanded in custody.
Lawyer Lennox Vella and Marisa Mifsud appeared for Salvu Dalli.

Lawyers Kathleen Grima, Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia appeared parte civile.

Speaking at a crime conference this morning, police spokesperson Brandon Pisani said police were informed of an argument in Ghaxaq at 11:10am yesterday by an anonymous caller. Shortly afterwards a second report, of a gunshot, was received.

Police went to the house and Salvu Dalli opened the door. He said his son was in the bathroom, where a blood trail led. There the police found the body of 37-year-old Antoine Dalli, dead from a shotgun blast to the abdomen.

The shotgun used in the murder was found on a bed in the house.

Both father and son had criminal records and were known to the police, who had charged both in separate cases on various grounds.