Court orders Cisse murder weapon to be tested by Netherlands Forensic Institute

Lassana Cisse Souleymane was killed in a drive-by shooting in Birzebbugia last April

A makeshift memorial at the scene of the crime in Birzebbugia and the firearm purportedly used to murder Lassana Cisse Souleymane in the drive-by shooting (File photo)
A makeshift memorial at the scene of the crime in Birzebbugia and the firearm purportedly used to murder Lassana Cisse Souleymane in the drive-by shooting (File photo)

The firearm allegedly used by Francesco Fenech and Lorin Scicluna to murder Lassana Cisse Souleymane in a drive-by shooting in Birzebbugia last April will be flown to the Netherlands for ballistics testing.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia made the order in a decree handed down this morning. The decree came as a result of a request made in July last year where the prosecution requested the court appoint a ballistics expert to examine and test fire the weapon which had been found in the possession of Lorin Scicluna. This would be followed by a comparative analysis of the round and cartridge cases found at the scene of the crime and inside the victim’s body.

The CZ P10 pistol allegedly used by the men will be tested by the Netherlands Forensic Institute at the Hague. A Maltese police officer will accompany the weapon to Holland and hand it over to the experts.

Lorin Scicluna (left) and Francesco Fenech (right) were charged with the murder of Lassana Cisse Souleymane
Lorin Scicluna (left) and Francesco Fenech (right) were charged with the murder of Lassana Cisse Souleymane

Former AFM soldiers Francesco Fenech, 21, and Lorin Scicluna, 22, are accused of killing Souleymane, 42, from the Ivory Coast, in a racially-motivated drive-by shooting in Birżebbuġa last April.

Inspector Keith Arnaud is prosecuting.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia are defence counsel to Lorin Scicluna.

Lawyers Giannella DeMarco and Stephen Tonna Lowell are defence counsel to Francesco Fenech.