Updated | Court upholds bail for men accused with Imniehru murders

The Attorney General’s appeal against the controversial decision to grant bail to Jason Galea and George Galea – the men accused of committing the double murder of Mario Camilleri, ‘I-Imniehru’, and his 21-year-old son in August 2013 – has been dismissed by the Criminal Court of Appeal.

The two men were granted bail earlier this month against a personal guarantee of €30,000 and a deposit of €30,000 each, and were placed under house arrest.

Jason Galea was also granted bail for his alleged part in the murder of Valletta taxi-driver Matthew Zahra, whose remains were unearthed while police were digging for the bodies of the Camilleris.

Sources told MaltaToday that the controversial bail was heavily opposed by the Attorney General who insisted that bail should be revoked “because of the serious nature of the offence, and due to fear of absconding and relapsing.” On the other hand, Senior police officials claimed that the decision to grant bail to Jason Galea might endanger Mario Camilleri’s wife, Mona, after the latter had told court that Jason Galea wanted to murder her as well.

The AG”s appeal was however dismissed by the Criminal Court of Appeal this morning who instead upheld the bail for Jason Galea and George Galea. In handing down his decree, Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi noted that the main witnesses have been heard, and only court appointed experts and police have yet to be summoned to the case.

“The AG’s principal exception against the court’s decision to grant bail was that George Galea and Jason Galea are accused with a serious offence," the judge said.

“The First Court was very careful with its decision to grant bail, and this court does not feel the need to go against this decision. Consequently, for these reasons, the appeal of the AG has been rejected.”

Moreover, the court, which handed its decree behind closed doors, also denied the defence’s plea to reduce the "exuberant" sum of the deposit imposed on George Galea, claiming that the amount is justified due to seriousness of the crime.

The accused have remained in prison because they so far been unable to produce the money needed for bail. 

Jason Galea is accused of shooting Mario Camilleri Snr twice in the head before driving off to a field in Tal-Qajjenza, limits of Birzebbugia. The corpse of Camilleri was then lowered into a shallow grave in the field that had already been dug out. Moments later, Camilleri’s 21-year-old son, Mario Jnr. arrived at the field when he was dropped off by another man.

At this point, George Galea took the 21-year-old by the throat while Jason Galea started hitting with a loose tile lying nearby. Jason Galea then asked George Galea to shoot Camilleri but he refused, leading Jason Galea to repeatedly stab Mario Camilleri with a knife, then finishing him off with two shots. The lifeless body was then dropped next to his father’s.