The compilation of evidence against two Maltese soldiers accused of the cold-blooded murder of Ivorian national Lassane Cisse Souleymane, continues in court today.
21-year-old Francesco Fenech and Lorin Scicluna, 22, both former AFM soldiers, stand charged with killing Soulaymane, as well as the attempted murder of two other persons who were walking back home in Ħal Far back in April.
The men have also been charged with the attempted murder of another man from Chad in February.
12:17 The next sitting is scheduled for the 18 September, when the court will decide on whether to grant the accused bail.
12:13 The two sides are now discussing the appointment of experts. The prosecution has explained that a ballistics expert from the Netherlands will be examining the weapon, projective and cartridge.
12:10 That was the last witness for the day.
11:58 A third AWAS support worker takes the stand and also confirms what her two colleagues said.
11:49 She also recognised the victim and identified him.
11:44 The staff contacted the police and called an ambulance, which arrived within 20 minutes and took him to hospital.
11:43 An injured resident, who she recognised, was brought in by two men. Security referred them to AWAS. She said that his friends had told her that he was involved in a fight, but he himself had said that he had been hit by a car. He had a large head wound and was bleeding, she said.
11:40 On the 1 February, she was on a night shift with four other support workers, a policeman and two security guards.
11:40 A support worker with the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS), based at Hal Far for the past four years took the stand.
11:10 The prosecution replied, saying that it had no information that this was the case. In view of the request, however, it would be looking into the matter and would ensure that they are not allowed to leave before they testify.
11:09 Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell asks the court to ascertain whether the witness was due to leave Malta in the near future. He said that recent news reports suggested that some witnesses, including some who have not yet testified, may soon be leaving Malta. The defence said that if this was the case, that they should not be allowed to leave the country before they have testified and are cross-examined in court.
11:03 Arnaud asked him if he recognised the accused. Malimi said he had seen them on television, but didn’t know them.
11:01 He said he had never needed to go to the hospital in Malta, other than when he was medically examined upon arriving, he said.
10:57 Pointing to his left shoulder, he said he was still in pain.
10:57 Malimi said he had spent some time in hospital as a result of his injuries. He was taken there by ambulance and woke up in a ward. When he woke up, he was told that he had a broken arm and needed surgery.
10:56 One of the two Good Samaritans, an Italian man, called an ambulance and dropped him off outside the detention centre in Hal Far to wait for the ambulance.
10:55 The witness says that after spending an hour on the ground, he managed to get up and walked a short distance, where he met two people who took him back to Hal Far.
10:51 Malimi said the car had come from behind him but could not remember anything else about it.
10:50 He said that he had been walking alone on that particular occasion. “I spent an hour on the ground with a broken arm, unable to move.”
10:49 “Some people had been hit with gunfire on the same road, but I don’t remember its name,” he said. The witness said he was walking on the left side of the road when he was struck
10:47 He was returning to Hal Far from Bugibba when he was hit by a car which he hadn’t seen. It was between 8 and 9pm, he said.
10:46 Speaking through an interpreter, May Malimi said he came to Malta on 27 June 2018. In February this year he was living in Hal Far.
10:43 Next to testify is the 19-year-old who was allegedly run over by the accused.
10:42 The report started, Arnaud said the report started being compiled right after the murder through the men’s arraignment.
10:41 The inspector gives to officers’ service numbers.
10:40 He asks Arnaud to identify the police officers who assisted him in compiling the report.
10:40 Lawyer Franco Debono is next.
10:38 “Did you ask for the authorisation of the court to do this?” she asks. To which Arnaud replies that it was a standard part of the police’s work. “We did it to help us understand the dynamics of the incident.”
10:38 Lawyer Gianella De Marco is now cross-examining the inspector.
10:33 The photographs are interspersed with shots from Google maps, showing the location of the cameras in question, he said. The timeline was put together by police from the Homicide Squad, Arnaud explained.
10:31 Arnaud takes the stand and presents the court with a timeline, 47-pages long, consisting of snapshots from all CCTV cameras in chronological order.
10:19 Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Julian Farrugia and Kris Busietta are appearing for Scicluna. Stephen Tonna Lowell and Gianella De Marco are appearing for Fenech. Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Alfred Abela are parte civile. All lawyers are present in court.
10:16 Inspector Arnaud informs the court that another immigrant who was allegedly run over by the two men will testify today, as well as officials from the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers
10:12 The accused have just entered the courtroom. Inspector Keith Arnaud has also arrived.
10:03 The compilation of evidence against two Maltese soldiers accused of the cold-blooded murder of Ivorian national Lassane Cisse Souleymane, continues in court today. 21-year-old Francesco Fenech and Lorin Scicluna, 22, both former AFM soldiers, stand charged with killing Soulaymane, as well as the attempted murder of two other persons who were walking back home in Ħal Far back in April.
