Alleged murderer always paid cleaning company employees late

A witness in the compilation of evidence against Jason Galea and George Galea - accused of the murder of drug trafficker Mario Camilleri 'l-Imniehru' and his son Mario - told a court that company boss Jason Galea always paid his employees late.

Galea - Camilleri's brother-in-law - ran cleaners' company Blue Sea, but Spanish maid Leonor Reina told a court that both him and his sister Mona Camilleri, always paid their employees late.

Galea is accused of murdering the Camilleris to cancel out his debts on loans he had taken out with them.

"The other cleaners used to complain with me about not receiving their salaries on time. I would call Jason, and either he or Mona would come with the money. Jason would promise payment on one day but not keep his word, however he would eventually pay his staff. Sometimes the payments were issued a month later," the witness said.

Her last call to Jason Galea was on 17 July this year. "As I told the police, I had called him to ask when the other maids would be paid. Jason did not answer his phone but called me back after 10 minutes. This was at about 12:30pm. Mario Camilleri snr then spoke to me and both of them said the cleaners would be paid the following Saturday. But neither of them came to the hotel," Reina said.

Cross-examined by defence lawyers Joe Giglio and Giannella de Marco, the witness denied ever speaking to other people regarding the cleaners' wages. She also denied that Mario Camilleri had sounded aggressive when she spoke to him on the phone.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona put off the case for 4 December when all defence witnesses are expected to take the stand. Inspector Chris Pullicino, Michael Mallia and Louise Calleja prosecuted.