Sliema double murder trial: Defiant Daniel Muka in fresh outburst; judge orders him out of courtroom

Daniel Muka, one of two men standing trial for double murder, disrupted the courtroom once again when proceedings continued on Thursday morning.

Before witnesses started being heard, Judge Natasha Galea Sciberras ordered correctional officers to use the minimum force necessary to bring Muka before her inside the courtroom.

The accused has for the past days refused to be inside the courtroom and was following proceedings via video transmission from another room behind the hall. Muka has rejected the legal representation afforded to him.

On Thursday, upon entering the courtroom escorted by correctional officers, Muka immediately declared his refusal to participate in the hearing, citing concerns over his legal representation.

“I refuse to sit down,” Muka said loudly, standing in defiance before the judge. “She is not my lawyer, and this is breaching my rights. I won’t stay in the courtroom unless I have a lawyer.”

Despite the judge’s instructions to remain seated and allow the session to proceed, Muka continued to resist. “You can say whatever you like,” he insisted, remaining standing.

The accused then expressed unwillingness to remain in court at all. “I do not want to stay in the courtroom,” he warned, prompting the judge to intervene once again.

Following the repeated disruptions and refusal to comply with courtroom protocol, the judge ordered Muka to be removed from the courtroom once again.

Court hears details of firearm, suspect behaviour

The third day of the high-profile jury trial before Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras in Hall 22 focused on forensic analysis, police operations, and key witness testimonies related to the double homicide that took place in Sliema in August 2020.

The first to take the stand was Martin Bajada, a court-appointed forensic expert. He recounted being called to the crime scene on 18 August 2020. His role primarily involved the analysis of CCTV footage from cameras in the area surrounding the victims’ residence. Bajada described the timeline of one of the victims, Chris Pandolfino, leaving the house and returning at around 10:10pm. Shortly afterward, a white vehicle later identified as the suspects' car was seen circling the block before parking at the top of Locker Street.

The courtroom was shown video footage of this vehicle and subsequent footage showing one of the accused entering the residence at 10:47pm. However, it was unclear whether the person captured on camera actually entered the home or simply stood on the landing.

When court proceedings resumed at 3:25pm, Bajada returned to the stand. Josette Sultana, appointed by the court to assist accused Daniel Muka, declined to cross-examine the expert, explaining that Muka refused to communicate with her.

During his cross-examination, lawyer Alexander Scerri Herrera, representing Viktor Dragomanski, asked Bajada whether there was any evidence of communication between Dragomanski and Muka. Bajada responded that he had not been instructed to investigate potential communication links between the two men.

Following Bajada’s testimony, police officers Antoine Fenech and Kristy Cremona took the stand. Fenech explained that they had been tasked with collecting CCTV footage as part of the forensic team. He outlined the journey of the suspects’ vehicle, leaving Sliema and passing through multiple locations until eventually arriving at the old St Luke’s Hospital parking area.

CCTV footage later showed the suspects walking along the Msida marina. During cross-examination, Scerri Herrera asked Fenech to confirm if one of the suspects was wearing a light-colored top, to which Fenech replied that he couldn’t be certain.

Superintendent Fabian Fleri, who in 2020 was an inspector in the Investigations Department, testified next. He described the operation that led to Daniel Muka’s arrest in Floriana on 25 August. Acting on information that Muka was hiding in the area, police raided the location at around 1:00 pm. Fleri said that Muka was found wearing only jeans.

During the arrest, a colleague presented him with a Glock 17 pistol recovered from Muka. The firearm was later inspected and found to contain 11 rounds, six short of its full capacity.

With the court's permission, the pistol was shown to the witness for confirmation and subsequently presented to the jury. Madam Justice Galea Sciberras asked that Muka be shown on the courtroom monitor so that Superintendent Fleri could confirm his identity, but Muka refused to appear on camera. Fleri offered to identify Muka in person, which the court allowed.

After entering the room and inspecting Muka directly, Fleri confirmed his identity, noting that while Muka’s hair had been bleached at the time of arrest, and was clean-shaven, he was still clearly recognisable.

When asked under cross-examination whether his testimony was part of the case against Muka or Dragomanski, Fleri confirmed it pertained only to Muka.

Stephen Gulia, a police sergeant with the Criminal Investigation Department in 2020, also took the stand and confirmed the details of the arrest operation. Like Fleri, he identified Muka and confirmed the identity of the pistol involved.

Angelo, a bartender at Dolce Sicilia, testified next. When shown a photograph of a man dressed in red, he confirmed that on 18 August 2020, three men had approached his shop with one of them asking for the Wi-Fi password. He identified Viktor Dragomanski as the individual who had spoken to him.

Police Constable Sandro Mamo, stationed at the Domicile unit in 2020, testified that on 21 August 2020 he was briefed about a homicide in Sliema and told that the suspects had fled the scene in a white Volkswagen. CCTV footage helped investigators track the vehicle, which was eventually found at the St Luke’s Hospital parking area. It was fitted with different number plates attached using cable ties, and cut wires were discovered underneath. Mamo also recounted the arrest of Viktor Dragomanski, who had been staying at a hotel. He attempted to escape but was ultimately arrested in the street. Mamo added that Dragomanski had since cooperated with police.

Superintendent Fabian Fleri confirmed that Dragomanski had not been present in Floriana during Muka’s arrest. Fleri also confirmed that when the two eventually met, Dragomanski expressed visible anger, stating he was “angry at Muka for what he did”.

The case in a nutshell

Daniel Muka and Viktor Dragomanski are on trial for the murders of Christian Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski, who were shot dead inside their home in Locker Street, Sliema, on 18 August 2020.

Pandolfino, 58, died at the scene after being shot five times in the upper body and neck. His 30-year-old partner, Maciejowski, was killed by a single gunshot to the face.

A third accomplice, Jesper Kristiansen, pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2024 in exchange for a 40-year prison sentence. He testified against Muka and Dragomanski, describing the murder as a botched robbery.

On Wednesday, jurors were taken to the site of the murder. All corners of the block were closed off to the public and anyone who needed to pass through the area was being escorted by police. Journalists were also limited to a designated area.

Muka defiantly did not emerge from the van during the site visit.

The prosecution is led by lawyers Kevin Valletta and Maria Francesca Spiteri from the Attorney General's office. Muka is being represented by legal aid lawyer Josette Sultana, while Dragomanski is being defended by lawyers José Herrera and Alexander Scerri Herrera. The victims’ families are represented by lawyers Joe Giglio and Michaela Giglio.