Buġibba murder: Munchies owner was friends with victim, court hears

Two witnesses in the case against the owner of Buġibba’s Munchies bar said he was friends with the patron he’s now charged with killing.

Bar owner David Busuttil is accused of murdering Roger Dudley-Ward in Buġibba, who died last May after falling down the bar’s stairs following an argument with the accused.

Two witnesses, Carmel Frendo and Barbara Anne Jones, testified before Mastrate Doreen Clarke on Monday.

“I’ve known David for a long time, ever since he set up Munchies,” Frendo said after identifying the accused in the courtroom. “I’ve also known Roger Dudley for as long as I’ve been in Malta. He was a friend of mine too.”

“They had a good relationship,” Frendo recalled. “I used to see them in the bar, as the Englishman would go drink there twice a week. I wasn’t there on the day of the argument.”

Jones testified later, identifying Busuttil in the courtroom. She said that she knew Busuttil for around three and a half years, and had known Dudley-Ward through her partner.

“He would be there regularly. The relationship between David and Dudley was a friendly one,” she said.

Jones added that she wasn’t there on the day of the argument.  

The compilation of evidence against Busuttil will continue on 9 January.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb appeared for Busuttil on Monday. Prosecutor Abigail Caruana Vella appeared on behalf of the office of the Attorney General.

Inspector Ryan Vella appeared for the prosecution.