Man goes on trial over 2022 murder of Rita Ellul

The trial of Lawrence Abina, who is accused of strangling his partner two years ago, has begun.

Jurors were selected this morning, with the process being completed and the jury empanelled by 10am.

This is the first trial by jury to be presided over by Madame Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras.

Abina, 32, is indicted for the murder of his partner, Rita Ellul, who was murdered inside an apartment in Għajnsielem, Gozo in February 2022.

During the compilation of evidence against Abina, a police inspector had testified that, while smoking a cigarette before his interrogation, Abina had confessed to strangling Ellul because he had suspected her of infidelity.

The inspector had told the court that Abina and Ellul had been in a relationship and that she would often visit him in Gozo. 

Abina had called the emergency services after allegedly killing Ellul, telling them that he had discovered her body in bed upon his return home from work, claiming to have last spoken to her at around 7am, before leaving for work.

During his interrogation, Abina had also claimed that his relationship with Ellul was trouble-free and that he loved her. The police then confronted him with a domestic violence report, filed by Ellul in 2020, which had led to criminal proceedings against him that were still pending at the time of the murder. 

Abina had initially claimed it was a one-off incident but had later admitted that both partners were accusing each other of being unfaithful.

An autopsy established the cause of the woman’s death to be strangulation, triggering a police investigation which resulted in the homicide charge.

Lawyers Kaylie Bonett and Anthony Vella are prosecuting, representing the Office of the Attorney General. Lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace was appointed to represent Abina as legal aid counsel. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are representing the Ellul family as parte civile.