Murder suspect denied bail

A 63-year-old pensioner, Gerald Galea, was remanded in custody after Magistrate Neville Camilleri denied him bail to prevent any tampering with evidence.

On Thursday, the court concluded the first stage of the compilation of evidence against Galea.

The elderly man from Marsalforn is charged with the murder of 54-year-old John Spiteri and the attempted murder of his 24-year-old son, Matthew Spiteri, both from Rabat, Gozo.

The incident happened on 19 June, when the two victims were chopping trees to use in the construction of a kiosk.

The accused's brother, Taddeo Galea, took the witness stand, saying that the scene he witnessed that day was reminiscent of a "horror movie".

"I arrived on site moments after the incident. I did not even recognise my brother. A man was lying on the floor. It was gruesome. My brother Gerald was shouting 'lawyer, lawyer'," Taddeo Galea told the court.

Galea added that when he heard his brother call for a lawyer, he informed his other brother about it.

"I did not recognise him because his face was black and blue from the punches he suffered. Besides, I barely saw him for more than five occasions in 40 years."

The witness lives in Michigan, USA, while Gerald resides in New York. The two rarely meet each other, and Taddeo Galea said it was fate that brought them together in the same block of apartments, together with their other brother Joseph.

Taking the witness stand, Joseph Galea recounted what he saw on 19 June at the Qbajjar car park. He told the court that his brother Gerald had promised to take their mother to the Ta' Pinu church.

"Instead, a terrible incident happened. I saw two people fighting but I do not recall who they were."

Similarly to his other brother, Taddeo, he was on the scene even before the ambulance arrived.

A number of residents from the neighbourhood testified that they heard shouting and the screeching of tyres. Others saw a car go around the parking lot more than five times.

A witness, Suzanne Woodgate, claimed to have not seen anything, however she said she heard someone shout, "Oh my God, they've killed him, they've killed him".

Another witness, Joseph Asciak, saw the incident unfold from his residence. "The images of that afternoon still haunt me," he said. 

The final civil witness in the compilation of evidence was one of the victims. Visibly shaken, the young Matthew Spiteri explained how his family had all permits in place to put up the kiosk in Qbajjar.

He explained that a pole was erected to ensure that electricity was available to the workmen on site. Spiteri pointed out that while he was working on site together with his dad, they noticed a shrub had grown into the space of the kiosk.

At that point Gerald Galea turned up in his car, Spiteri recounted. "We had the necessary permits to make space for the kiosk. But as soon as we cut a branch off a tree Galea arrived on the scene and threatened to report us to the police."

An argument ensued and escalated to the point that Galea drove over John Spiteri.

Pausing frequently and seen taking deep breaths, Matthew Spiteri recounted how an unknown man shouted abuse at them. "While noting his number plate, I realised that dad had gone and punched him through the car window. As I pulled dad back, I realised his lip was bleeding," he said.

He recounted how the stranger revved his Daihatsu Terrios, circled the car park and rammed into their van.

"He drove straight over the shrub he had created the entire ruckus about, and went straight for dad. When he hit my father he did not brake as one would normally do. My father went over the bonnet and ended up beneath the car. He went over him with all four wheels."

As emotions started having the better of him and tears streaming down his face, the 24-year-old continued.

"He dragged my father over 10 feet. Then reversed onto me. He got out of the car and came for me, but I punched him. Dad was motionless on the ground - I did it to protect him."

The men were then taken to hospital where John Spiteri was found to be in a critical condition and Galea had suffered fractures to the face. Hours later - at 8.30pm - Spiteri lost his battle, while Gerald Galea was transferred to Malta.

Dr Kathleen Grima, appearing for the accused, demanded bail, arguing that with all civil witnesses having taken the stand, there was no fear that evidence could be tampered with. She added that in other murder cases, the court had granted bail, albeit at the imposition of stringent conditions.

Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Bernard C. Spiteri are investigating. Lawyers Kathleen Grima and Arthur Azzopardi are appearing for the accused. Dr Joe Giglio is appearing as parte civile.

Galea stands accused of the murder of John Spiteri and the attempted murder of the victim's son. He also faces charges of dangerous driving, damaging public property and damaging the vehicles being used by the Spiteris.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri remanded the accused in custody and scheduled the case for 20 August.