Emails with allegations about accused sent to judge presiding Sion Grech murder trial

The judge presiding over the trial of two men accused of the murder of Sion Grech, a 20-year-old transgender sex-worker in Marsa, 18 years ago, received two emails making claims about the case and allegations about one of the accused men. 

The emails, one sent this morning and an other later on the same day, are understood to have been sent from a government email address, by an individual who did not conceal their identity.

Addressing the trial this morning after recieving the first email, Mr. Justice Aaron Bugeja solemnly declared that he does not communicate with any party, in any way outside court. The judge said that he had limited himself to informing the parties of this development, together with the contents of the message. He had also sent a copy of it to the President of Malta.

The judge remarked that if anyone wanted to share information with the authorities about a criminal case, they could pass that information on to the Police or the Attorney General, but that no such communications should be sent to the presiding member of the judiciary.

Ismael Habesh (right) and Faical Mahouachi (left), are on trial for the 2005 murder of Sion Grech (Photo credit: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

Ismael Habesh from Libya and Faical Mahouachi from Tunisia are currently on trial, accused of stabbing Grech to death in a Marsa field. The men are also indicted for carrying an unlicenced firearm during the commission of the offence. Habesh is further accused of driving a stolen car, the theft of which he had also participated in.

The prosecution say Habesh used the stolen Ford Escort to take Mahouachi with him to the scene of the murder.

Some 62 witnesses are understood to have been summonsed to testify during the trial.

This morning a former sex worker, who had known the victim for around one year before the murder and who would take drugs with her, told the jury that the topic of their conversations would mostly revolve around drugs.

A scene of crime officer who had documented the murder scene also testified earlier today. He recalled that Grech’s body had been found fully clothed, holding a cigarette lighter in her left hand. On the ground beside the body were packets of contraceptives, with flecks of blood, he told jurors.

The trial continues.

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.