Taxi driver’s murder: field owner provided shallow grave

The sole eyewitness in the murder of taxi-driver Matthew Zahra in August 2012, and also the man who disposed of his remains, might neither be arraigned nor asked to testify as he is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

Alfredo Attard's role in the murder of Zahra was discussed at the start of today's compilation of evidence against Jason Galea, 39 and Ronald Urry, 49, who are accused of Zahra's murder. Zahra's remains were found in the same field where in August 2013, the bodies of Mario Camilleri and his son Mario were found in a shallow grave: Galea and half-brother George Galea are facing charges of their murder in separate proceedings.

Magistrate Edwina Grima said that Attard could not attend court due to his cancert treatment.

Taking the witness stand, police sergeant Andrew St John recounted the investigation into the Zahra murder. The first stop was to Urry's residence in Birzebbugia, and then to a field behind the Qajjenza gas facility, where Urry recounted the events that culminated in the murder.

On 15 August 2012, Jason Galea picked Urry from his apartment to meet Alfred Attard, the owner of the Qajjenza field. Attard showed the two men to an area by the field's entrance, where part of the prickly pear tree had been trimmed - allowing a man to crouch beneath the tree unseen from the road outside - as well as a hole dug in the field under a rubble wall.

Urry told the police that Galea instructed him to wait for him behind the tree. Moments later, Galea drove his Skoda car to the field, with a man he did not know sitting on the passenger side.

As Urry told police: "Galea parked the car very close to the prickly pear tree, so that the passenger could not open his door. I got up from where I was, shot the guy twice and saw him slump forward on the seat. If the passenger windows were not rolled all the way down I would have hesitated to shoot."

The two men then dumped Zahra's body in the shallow grave that had been dug, and Galea later drove Urry home.

Sergeant St John then told the court how the bodies of Mario Camilleri 'l-Imniehru' and his son were found in Attard's field in August 2013. While unearthing the bodies, police also found bones of a foot, suspected to belong to Matthew Zahra.

Inspector Fabian Fleuri arrested Attard for questioning in connection with the remains found in his field. "When we got to the field, Attard showed us a mound of manure around 70 feet from the field's entrance and at a higher level than the rest of the field. He claimed he had dumped the rest of Zahra's decomposing bones in the manure," the witness told court.

Scene of crime officers and forensic experts dug up the manure and found more skeletal bones belonging to Zahra.

Lawyers Joe Giglio, Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are appearing for the two accused, while Dr Stefano Filletti is appearing for the victim's family.

Insp. Pullicino, Insp. Michael Mallia and Insp. Fabian Fleri are prosecuting. The case continues 22 January.