Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/627675
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 JANUARY 2016 6 News MIRIAM DALLI HOMICIDE is not a foregone con- clusion in the death of fisherman Martin Cachia as investigators are looking into the possibility that Cachia may have been transport- ing explosives. Cachia, 56, was registered as a fisherman and had pending court cases. He was investigated over drug trafficking, human smuggling and contraband cigarettes and was part of a probe into the smuggling of fuel from Libya. Because of his pending human trafficking case, Cachia also had to sign the bail book every day. Assistant Commissioner Silvio Valletta confirmed that the father of four had not filed any reports of a threat. He also said Cachia had a habit of taking walks in Marsaska- la, although he was not a resident of the seaside town. Gaping hole inside car Cachia died yesterday at 9.15am in Triq il-Latmija on the Marsas- kala bypass. The car blew up when an explosive device – or explosives – went off. He lost control of the red Alfa Romeo he was driving, which travelled on 100 metres be- fore crashing into the wall and was devoured by flames. A gaping hole was evident in the car's floor surrounding the driver's area. The car was not registered in his name but it was known that Cachia made use of it. An eyewitness, Noel Dalli, told reporters that he heard a large ex- plosion before rushing outside and seeing the car on fire. He only re- alised that someone was inside the car when he noticed blood on the pavement. The eyewitness said that, at that moment, a friend of his who owns a water bowser, happened to be driving past in the bowser. The fire was put out and the civil- ians realised that a "burnt man was lying on the seat". Autopsy tomorrow The autopsy on Cachia's severely burnt corpse will be carried out tomorrow and DNA tests will confirm the victim's identity. The autopsy will determine Cachia's cause of death. Tests are currently being car- ried out on the car to determine whether the explosive was under the driver's seat, behind him or on the back seat. Initial indications are that the explosive was inside, and not outside, the car. Possibility that Cachia was transporting explosive The Assistant Commissioner said the possibility that Cachia may have been carrying the explo- sive was dictated by the circum- stances. "All avenues are open: it so far appears that the explosives were inside the car and we have to investigate why. We cannot as yet call it a homicide," Valletta said. Asked whether the case was re- lated to the murder of Darren De- gabriele, who was killed in 2014 in a car bomb explosion, Cachia said the police was not ruling anything out. The possibility that he could have been transporting explosives raises the question on who could have been the target. Cachia reiterated that all avenues were open and part of the investigations would thus focus on the explosives. The Police urged anyone with in- formation to come forward. 'Daddy you saved my life' Cachia's 19-year-old daughter, Faye Cachia, took to Facebook to mourn her father. Expressing her disbelief at his sudden death, the daughter also said her father saved her life. "You saved my life because yes- terday you told me you were not going to come for me," she said, adding that she would have been sitting next to her father had he picked her up. "You will always be my hero." Previous charges Cachia spent years trading at the Valletta monti open air market, but he was repeatedly charged with the sale of counterfeit DVDs, music CDs and Playstation games and even pornographic material, repeatedly earning fines of up to €10,000 and also a six-month prison sentence at one point. His trading licence as a hawker was suspended. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to the simple possession of cannabis resin and was fined €750, payable in €50 instalments. He was also found to be in possession of a small amount of heroin that earned him a three- year probation sentence. In the small claims tribunal, Cachia was found liable to repay Michael Attard Ltd over €8,000 for goods received, over €1,500 to Go plc, €740 to Melita, over €2,900 to the Housing Authority, and also €2,000 to the civil courts' registrar. 2015 car-bomb that killed Marsaxlokk restaurateur YESTERDAY'S incident evokes the murder of Marsaxlokk res- taurateur Darren Degabriele who was targeted in a car bomb in June. He succumbed to inju- ries days later. Degabriele, 35, from Ghaxaq, suffered first-degree burns to 60% of his body when a car bomb was detonated while he was driving. The explosives were placed under the chassis. Owner of Degabriele Fuels, De- gabriele also operated the boat San Niklaw, which made fre- quent trips to Misurata, Libya. Homicide 'not a foregone conclusion' Martin Cachia lost his life in the explosion The blown up car (top left) which Martin Cachia was driving, waiting to be removed by the police who were on the scene of the explosion (above) with heavy lifting equipment (top right).