Accused in Marsascala murder granted bail

Joseph Cutajar, 45 from Marsascala - known as 'Il-Lion' - was granted bail against a €5,000 deposit and €15,000 personal guarantee, four months after being charged with two murders in a shootout which developed inside an underground garage complex.

32-year-old Kevin Gatt had died on the spot in the incident, while another man, Stephen Zammit, died a few weeks later at Mater Dei Hospital's Intensive Therapy Unit.

This morning a court presided by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona heard ballistics expert, former Armed Forces of Malta Brigadier Maurice Calleja, explain how evidence indicates that the accused had been ambushed by the two men.

According to Calleja, Gatt and Zammit had driven down the garage complex and were the first to open fire. A reconstruction of the trajectories showed how the two men fired from a semi-automatic pistol, but managed to shoot only once as the cartridge chamber got jammed.

The men allegedly panicked, chased the accused and also reversed, only to get stuck in a spot in which they unknowingly got themselves cornered, allowing the accused to get hold of a gun and shoot back at them.

Kevin Gatt, who was in the driver's seat, was killed on the spot, while Stephen Zammit was found crouched on the floor beneath the passenger's seat.

While the court granted Joseph Cutajar bail, he faces charges in a separate case on money laundering.

He was arraigned in May with charges of laundering €100,000.

Police Inspector Antonovitch Muscat said Cutajar was unemployed, yet he lived way beyond his means, while stacks of money were found at his flat.

Lawyers Emmanuel Mallia and Arthur Azzopardi are appearing for Cutajar.