Man charged with attempted murder told police he feared victim’s threats

37 year-old Neil Andrew Vella who is facing attempted murder charges for allegedly stabbing Sandro Mifsud during an argument in a Birkirkara flat two weeks ago, had told police that he acted in self defence after the victim had repeatedly abused and threatened him.

Testifying before Magistrate Edwina Grima, Police Inspectors Elton Taliana and Priscilla Caruana said that Vella had told them that a few days before the stabbing, the victim Sandro Mifsud had showed him a gun and put it to his head and vowed to "empty it" on him.

The argument which led to the stabbing was about €45 which Mifsud claimed Vella had taken from his wallet.

Inspector Taliana told the court that at first, Vella and his victim had said that an intruder had gained access into the apartment. Mifsud was the target and the intruder had stabbed him.

"We immediately understood that both Vella and Mifsud were not telling the truth, so we probed further until the accused finally came up with a more credible version of what happened," Inspector Taliana said.

According to the investigator, Vella had got to know Sandro Mifsud while they were both in prison.

When Vella was released, he found himself homeless and Mifsud took him in.

He said that at the beginning all was going fine, until Sandro Mifsud changed and started to be abusive towards Vella.

"Vella told us that Mifsud forced him to steal things, and took all his social benefits money," Taliana said, adding that when searching the apartment afterv the incident they found a notebook, allegedly written by Mifsud, in which he wrote everything about Vella.

"If a vase was broken or chipped, Mifsud would write the date and cost and mark it as a debt owed by Vella," he said.

The Inspector explained that when Mifsud had crashed his car, he had forced Vella to pay half of the expense. Mifsud had allegedly produced a gun, put it to Vella's head and threatened him that he would "empty it" on him.

Stabbing

Inspector Taliana said that on the day of the incident, Mifsud sent Vella to buy some tobacco, and when he returned they argued about the change.

Mifsud said that he had €5 missing, and €45 missing from his wallet.

He blamed Vella for the missing money, first forcing him to look for the €5 - who walked around Birkirkara in a bid to find what he thought he lost along the way, only to find it later on the stairwell - and then accused him of taking €45.

Mifsud attacked Vella with his fists, then grabbed a pair of scissors, slightly injuring the accused.

When Mifsud lost the scissors, he allegedly went to his wardrobe, leaving Vella assume that he was about to fetch the gun he had previously threatened him with.

It was here that Vella grabbed a knife and repeatedly stabbed him, seriously injuring him.

Sandro Mifsud did not appear in court to give evidence, despite being formally notified. The court ordered he be brought under escort for the next sitting.

Prostitution

Meanwhile, Police charged Sandro Mifsud's partner, Elaine Muscat who is currently being held at Corradino Prisons under preventative arrest for breaching bail conditions.

Muscat was arrested last May for prostitution and theft after Police were informed that she stole €160 from a client.

Inspector Tony Cachia said that he arrested Muscat after receiving a report from a certain Edward Spiteri who admitted to have accepted an advance from Muscat as he drove through The Strand in Gzira.

She rode in his car, and they drove to the Msida Marina where they sat on a bench.

According to Spiteri, Muscat said that she forgot something in the car, went to get it, but ran away with €160 he said he had hidden inside the glove compartment.

When Police arrested Muscat she admitted to having stolen €110 from Spiteri, but her version was slightly different to her clients, stating that he argued with her because he did not want to use a contraceptive.

It was then that she grabbed the money he had placed inside the car's ashtray and left with them.