Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/234240
15 2013 in review maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2013 mily feuds, and blackmail Hold -up outside MIA Skyparks where robbers targeted and shot man going to deposit money in bank and his father Vince Zahra filed a missing report on the evening of the feast of Santa Marija. On 23 July, Jason Galea and Ronald Urry, 49 of Paola, were charged with the murder of Matthew Zahra. Galea admitted to police that he had met Zahra at Marsaxlokk, luring him to the field to unearth a stash of drugs and money buried in it. The two drove there in a white Skoda Felicia. As Galea got out of the car to open the gate to the field, Ronald Urry emerged from behind a nearby tree and shot Zahra twice in the head. They then drove into the field to carry Zahra to his burial site, which had already been dug out. The revolver was thrown into the sea, and Galea also destroyed his mobile phone, disposing of it in a field near Ghar Dalam. In court, Galea claimed he was desperate and angry. He had lost everything to Zahra, who demanded €500,000 in blackmail money for him not to publish an incriminating photograph he claimed would destroy Galea's marriage. Zahra had also purchased property that Galea was being forced to pay, in instalments and chased Galea over exorbitant amounts of money. Alfredo Attard, the only eyewitness of the murder of Matthew Zahra and the man who disposed of the victim's bones might not be arraigned or asked to testify as he is currently receiving treatment for cancer. In the final sitting of this compilation of evidence,the prosecuting inspector informed the court that discussions with the Attorney General, regarding Attard, are under way and it is still unclear if Attard will be summoned to testify or even arraigned on separate charges. The case is still ongoing. Magistrate Edwina Grima is presiding. 'Tree of death' This year also witnessed the murder of 54-year-old, John Spiteri of Rabat, Gozo on 19 June. The incident happened when Gerald Galea saw the victim chopping a Tamarisk tree in Triq Santa Marija, Qbajjar. The victim and his 24-year-old son Matthew were at the Qbajjar car park clearing up the area to set up their kiosk when they came across an overgrown shrub. The father proceeded to cut the shrub when Gerald Galea drove by and identified the shrub as a protected species of tree known as a 'tamarisk bruka'. The elderly man told the Spiteris to stop cutting the tree, as it was protected. The two men allegedly shouted abuse at him and went on with their work. Galea told them that he would be reporting them to the police. The argument escalated into a fight. While still in his car, Galea was punched, and Spiteri grabbed him by the throat in an attempt to strangle him. Barely seeing through his injuries, Galea attempted to flee the scene. As he drove off in the car, according to Galea, he realised his car had run over something – turning out to be John Spiteri. The two men were taken to hospital however hours later John Spiteri died possibly due to internal bleeding from the injuries he had sustained. On 21 June the police arraigned Galea with charges of killing John Spiteri and with the attempted murder of Matthew Spiteri. The case is ongoing. The Russian connection On 10 October, the body of 47year-old Paul Grech was found in a crevice at l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha. He had been stabbed multiple times. The man had been reported missing a week earlier. After finding his Isuzu vehicle, the police found that the body was in a crevice which was covered by garbage bags and other material. The body, stuck between the rocks, had already started to decompose. An autopsy revealed that the man had suffered multiple stab wounds but that he had died from a single wound to his heart. The police had to wait for DNA tests before confirming the man's identity. In connection with the murder, the police interrogated a Russian man living in Gzira, believed to be close to the victim. The Russian had left Malta for Sicily on 12 October and made his way to Latvia and Russia. He was arrested at the airport on his return. Grech was believed to have bought a large farm in Russia to set up a potato business with the Russian man. Nobody was arraigned in connection with this case. Kalkara shooting Gerald Galea Joseph Caruana, 61, of Kalkara was killed on Sunday 27 October, when his daughter's former partner shot him when he intervened in an argument between the former couple. His 27-year-old daughter Simone and her three-year-old daughter were also injured in the shooting. The following day, Godwin Scicluna, 52, known as 'il-Goodie' was charged with the murder of Caruana and grievously injuring his former partner and one of their daughters. On a hot Sunday morning, the sound of shooting shattered the peace of St Leonard Street in Kalkara. Simone Caruana rushed out of the residence of her former partner, carrying one of her daughters and another running close behind. She knocked on the door of a neighbouring police officer, shouting that her father had been shot dead. Constable Ryan Grech, rushed to the farmhouse where Scicluna and Grech had been living together un- til August. On the floor of an internal yard, Grech saw the dead body of Joseph Caruana with his nephew kneeling next to him, and the eightmonth baby in its carrier on the kitchen table. Scicluna was in the yard about to light a cigarette. Investigations revealed that the accused and Simone Caruana had been together for a number of years. From their relation, four children were born. However in August the couple split after the man started beating Caruana and threatening her with murder. The woman never filed a police report reiterating she did not want to escalate matters. On the fateful day, the family had dined together but an argument over a digital camera broke out, leading to the accused fetching his shotgun and threatening her he would shoot her. The woman struggled to take the weapon away from Scicluna and told her daughter to call her grandfather for help. After the grandfather intervened, the woman and children ran towards the door, but Scicluna shot the man in the back, then chased the woman into the streets shooting in her direction. Simone Caruana suffered gunshot injuries in her shoulder. The case is ongoing, Magistrate Edwina Grima is presiding.