2018 Gozo murder: Court to decree on bail request from chambers

The court hearing the compilation of evidence against Alexsandar Stojanovic, who is accused of murder, will decree on a request for bail made by his lawyers, from chambers.

The request came at the tail end of a sitting in Gozo earlier today.

43 year-old Stojanovic is accused of the murder of Walid Salah Abdel Motaleb Mohamed, who was killed in January 2018.

Victor Vella, the father of the victim’s partner told Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech that the accused man had a good relationship with him, despite allegations that he was violent towards his daughter and grandchildren.

Vella had said that he would see Walid three or four times a week but did not know that he was in prison. He said he had done all he could to shore up the relationship between his daughter and Walid, and would give him work.

Towards the end of the sitting, submissions were made regarding bail with lawyers from the office of the Attorney General strongly opposing the man’s release from arrest, on the grounds that he could escape from Malta.

Stojanovic’s lawyers, Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb argued that the man would not attempt to escape because of his strong family ties to Malta. The court had heard Inspector Chris Abela from the Immigration section of the police explain that the man had been slated for deportation in July 2020 and had lost an appeal against the decision. The accused had applied for asylum in Malta and had managed to stay on the island, the court was told.

Lawyers Etienne Savona and Maria Francesca Spiteri are appearing on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General. Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri are prosecuting.

The case continues on Thursday.