[WATCH] Flowers, tears and sorrow as family, friends mark one year since Bernice Cassar was murdered

A year has passed since Bernice Cassar was murdered by her estranged husband at the Corradino Industrial Estate

Flowers, tears and sorrow were on display at the Corradino Industrial Estate as family and friends gathered to mark the first anniversary of Bernice’s murder.

Dragged out of her car by the hair and shot at point-blank range, Bernice, a mother of two, died on the spot.

A plaque marks the spot where 40-year-old  Bernice was brutally killed by her ex husband on this day 12 months ago. The plaque carries her maiden surname, Cilia, in an attempt to cancel the hurtful legacy that tied Bernice to her husband, the father of her children, and her murderer.

A plaque marks the spot where Bernice was murdered in the middle of a factory zone just off the MCAST campus (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Just a few hundred metres away from where graduation ceremonies will shortly take place to celebrate the dreams and hopes of thousands of young men and women at the Malta College for Arts Science and Technology, the irony could not be bigger. Here were the wounded parents of Bernice ‘celebrating’ their daughter’s shattered dreams.

One year on, they are still waiting for justice to be served.

Bernice’s estranged husband, Roderick Cassar was charged with femicide, the first to be accused of such an offence after the law was changed early last year. 

The compilation of evidence against him is ongoing and he remains in preventive custody.

At the morning vigil, Bernice’s sister Clarice addressed the crowd of mourners where her sister was killed. 

Bernice's sister Clarice addresses the mourners surrounded by her family

Clarice noted how Bernice's last breaths were taken in the middle of a road, surrounded by factories, moving traffic, and a campus. Despite this, she said, Bernice was not safe from her killer. 

Clarice reminded how Bernice did everything that was expected of her as a victim of domestic violence, including fleeing her home, filing reports, seeking professional help, until she was given a protection order. "When this information came to light, everyone was infuriated."

"Someone must claim responsibility," she said, adding that today's vigil is dedicated to all who seek protection and don't find it.

Regarding the recommendations of the Valenzia Inquiry launched after Bernice's death, Clarice noted that one of the recommendations fulfilled was that a victim of domestic violence will automatically be given a protection order without asking for it. 

"We've discovered however, that should this protection order be broken, police act on it after 14 days. Have we learned nothing?"