Witness fails to appear for confrontation in court

A woman who alleged she was offered money to testify against a man facing murder charges over the death of an 18-year-old girl yesterday failed to turn up in court for a confrontation with the person who allegedly made the offer.

On Tuesday, Eileen Gatt testified that a Maltese woman of Tunisian origin, whose name cannot be published by court order, approached her outside St Luke`s Hospital`s detox centre and offered Lm40, even more, if she would say in court that Jason Louis Paul Decelis had threatened her.

In view of Gatt`s allegations, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera ordered that she should be confronted with the woman allegedly making the offer. The confrontation was scheduled for yesterday.

However, Gatt did not turn up in court even though her name was called three times, as demanded by law.

Police Inspector Neil Harrison confirmed issuing a summons for Gatt to appear in court.

Decelis, 24, of Pietà, and his parents Carmel, 52, of Pietà, and Connie, 52, of St Paul`s Bay, are pleading not guilty to the murder of Rachel Bowdler, on omission and disposing of the body on May 13, 2001 and the night before.

The woman of Tunisian origin had testified she had seen the three family members carry Bowdler`s unconscious body down the stairs, out of an apartment block and into a car. The girl`s lifeless body was found in a field in Mgarr on May 13, 2001.

The woman of Tunisian origin had subsequently reported to the police that Jason Decelis had threatened to shoot her if she did not testify in his favour. In view of the report the prosecution is claiming the accused had breached his bail conditions.

The Court of Criminal Appeal last Thursday confirmed a Magistrates` Court`s decision in which Jason Decelis was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and fined Lm500 for heroin possession and trafficking outside St Luke`s Hospital`s detox centre on and before July 22, 1996.

Police Inspector Harrison is prosecuting.

Dr Leo Bencini is appearing for the Decelis family.

Dr Ian Farrugia and Dr Michael Sciriha are appearing in parte civile for the victim`s family.