Accused in Mgarr murder claimed victim tried to run him over

Testifying in court in the compilation of evidence against Kenneth Gafa', 38 of Marsa, who stands charged with the murder, Inspector Edmond Cuschieri said that Gafa’ told him during his interrogation, that he had not intended to kill Christina Sammut, but had been frightened when she drove her vehicle towards him.

Gafa’ added that he used to be afraid of Sammut’s brothers, who had threatened him, and he had bought the gun for his own defence some four months earlier, Inspector Cuschieri testified.

Inspector Cuschieri explained how he had gone to the scene of the crime and witnessed Sammut slumped in the driver's seat of her van.

Cuschieri recounted how the van had a smashed window but no other damage, indicating that the shots were fired directly at the driver's window. He added that two spent cartridges were also found.

Gafa' had later turned himself in at the Hamrun police station and confessed to having shot a woman. Later however, during interrogation, the accused said he had not intended to kill the woman, but had shot her after being frightened as she attempted to drive onto him.

The court also heard how PS Stephen Bezzina saw a man who had been waiting in a van, walk up to the victim's car and start calling out her name. After questioning, it emerged that the man was Alfred Xuereb, a man Sammut had agreed with to meet that day.

Bezzina testified how, Xuereb said he first met Sammut five weeks before and she had recommended that he meet her counsellor.

An appointment with the counsellor was fixed for the day before the murder, but it was later cancelled, he added.

Xuereb also said how Christina and himself had still met up, adding that she told him how she had a difficult relationship and was being threatened.

She also asked him to drop her off at a police station to file a report, Bezzina testified.

On the day of the incident he was supposed to meet her at Mgarr, Xuereb said according to Bezzins’ testimony. However Xuereb said that he had arrived early and dozed off, being woken up by the sound of the shooting, which he first thought were exploding tyres.