Trial of two men accused of 2005 Sion Grech murder begins

The trial of the two men accused of killing 20-year old Sion Grech has begun.

Mr. Justice Aaron Bugeja is presiding over the jury of Ismael Habesh, 51 from Libya and Faical Mahouachi, 55, from Tunisia, who are both on trial for the 2005 murder, which took place in Marsa.

Grech, a transgender woman whose birthname was Simon, had been found in a field two weeks after her disappearance in April that year. An autopsy determined that the victim had been stabbed 17 times.

During the compilation of evidence it emerged that Grech, a sex worker, had been in a relationship with Habesh and had wanted him to leave his wife so that they could live together.

That court had also been told that a friend of Grech’s had told the police that Habesh had not wanted to do so because his residence visa was tied to the fact that he was married to a Maltese citizen.

Lawyers Edward Gatt and Ishmael Psaila are defence counsel to Habesh, while lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace is defending Mahouachi.

Lawyer Roberto Montaldo is appearing as parte civile for the Grech family.

The name of the victim has been changed to refer to the correct name