Man accused of dismembering and placing dead body in suitcase charged with murder

Andres Leonardo Gamboa Duran, the 43-year-old Colombian initially accused of dismembering a dead body, placing the parts in a suitcase and then dumping it at sea, was officially charged with wilful homicide during a sitting on Thursday morning.

Duran pleaded not guilty to all charges, including the murder of Raoul Eduardo Rei. 

He had been arrested three days after the police had made a gruesome finding when alerted to a floating suitcase along The Strand in Sliema. The suitcase contained the dismembered remains of a body.

Criminal proceedings against Duran resumed with a short sitting, which began with the prosecution informing the Court presided over by Magistrate Astrid May Grima that Duran’s charge sheet would be updated with a fresh charge of wilful homicide. The circumstances leading to the addition of the murder charge did not emerge during the sitting.

A police sergeant took to the stand and informed the Court that on 9 December of last year, she had been informed by a colleague about a telephone call in which it was reported that a luggage consisting of human remains had been found in Triq ix-Xatt, Sliema.

She recalled confirming the contents of the luggage upon arriving at the site.

At the end of the sitting, the Court handed down a prima facie decree, confirming that there was enough proof to establish that the accused has a case to answer.

Inspectors Wayne Camilleri and Kurt Zahra prosecuted with the assistance of lawyers Kaylie Bonnett and Dejan Darmanin from the Office of the Attorney General.

Legal aid lawyer Yanica Barbara Sant assisted Duran.