Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1045682
24 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 31 OCTOBER 2018 MATTHEW AGIUS THE police officer who was run over and nearly killed by Liam Debono, an underage driver, refused to say wheth- er he forgave Debono as he took the witness stand once again yesterday to testify in the case against the youth. Schembri was run over dur- ing a routine traffic check and was dragged under the car for some distance. He sustained horrific injuries which necessitated the am- putation of his arm. Yesterday, Debono's law- yer Franco Debono made a request for the recalling of Schembri to the witness stand in order for him to be able to ask him about an ap- plication that Schembri's le- gal team filed on Friday, and which resulted in Xarabank being effectively gagged from airing an interview with the driver. The lawyer said references to his client's character had been made on multiple occa- sions, however, nobody has had an opportunity to gauge Schembri's own charac- ter. Debono said he wanted Schembri to explain to him why he felt that it was ac- ceptable for him to speak to the public but not for the ac- cused. Cross-examined by Debono yesterday, Schembri said he had been asked to appear on the programme by Inspector Herman Mula. "I didn't want to at first, but then I accepted. Peppi Azzo- pardi came to my house and spent around three hours there talking about family. At no point was the inci- dent or the court case men- tioned." Schembri said that the next day, he was contacted by Mula and told that Liam Debono would be appear- ing on the programme too. "It was a great shock to me and my family, because the day before Peppi spent hours with my family, during which he praised us but didn't tell us of his plan." As a result, Schembri de- clined to appear. It was an instant decision, he said. "I said you can bring Liam Debono all you want, but I don't want to go." "You're going to make me choose," Azzopardi had said, explained the policeman. "I said: Don't choose, go with Liam, but I will not appear." Before Schembri decided against appearing on the programme, both he and Mula had told Azzopardi that nothing was to be said about the case. He said that Peppi had asked him whether he for- gave Debono anyway, but the rest of the questions were about family unity. "He never asked me about my health". Asked again by the lawyer whether he forgave Debono, Schembri said he would "choose not to reply". Police officer shunned Xarabank interview after learning of Liam Debono's appearance LORNA CALLEJA AN 85-year-old fisherman drowned yesterday after being pulled into the sea by strong waves at Wied iz-Zur- rieq. The incident was reported to the po- lice at around 6.45am. According to a statement, upon ar- rival police personnel conducted an investigation which found that the 85-year-old Zurrieq resident had al- legedly been fishing at Wied iz-Zur- rieq when he was pulled into the sea. An Armed Forces of Malta helicop- ter eventually brought him back to land but he was unfortunately certified dead on the spot. Police investigations are still ongoing. A German woman has drowned in Gozo after facing difficulties while swimming yesterday morning. The police said the 55-year-old driver was assisted on site but unfortunately passed away. She was diving at il-Kan- tra, off Mġarr ix-Xini, the police said. Fisherman drowns after being pulled into sea by strong currents German diver drowns in Gozo