Search still on for man wanted for questioning

The search for 22-year-old Libyan Walid Bazena, a friend of 20-year-old Rachel Muscat, who was stabbed to death on Monday night, is still on.

The girl was last seen in the company of Mr Bazena after 6 p.m. on Monday outside his residence in Bir id-Deheb.

The police are looking for him in connection with their inquires.

Sources close to the police said they have acted on various calls, claiming that the suspect was seen. But, so far, the searches have proved negative, the sources said.

Muscat's body was discovered at around midnight of the same day. She was lying face down on the floor, in the room where Mr Bazena was living.

A post-mortem on the woman's body established that Muscat died of multiple stab wounds - about 15 - all over her body.

The wounds were caused by a sharp and pointed object.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar said the intensive search for Mr Bazena, who has been living in Malta for a while and is known to come and go, was spread around the island. All the members of the force were aware of the case and the specialised units were focusing directly on it, he said.

The Libyan man's photograph has been widely circulated.

Muscat was discovered by Paola district police, who launched a search when her parents filed a report that she had not yet returned home at 11 p.m. on Monday.

Acting on information obtained from her relatives about her possible whereabouts, they went to the Bir id-Deheb residence, which is divided into rooms, each inhabited by foreigners, including Mr Bazena.

The room in which the corpse was found was full of blood and signs of obvious violence, Mr Cassar had said, although Ms Muscat did not appear to have been robbed. Nor did anything appear to have been taken from the scene of the crime.

The police have already interviewed several people in connection with their inquiry.

Immediate instructions were given to security personnel at the airport and ports to prevent Mr Bazena from leaving the island.

Bazena is six-feet one-inch tall, of medium build, with a dark complexion. He was last seen wearing white trousers and a dark top, although he could have changed his clothing since.

Mr Bazena did not appear to be employed, Mr Cassar had said.

Anyone with information about him should contact Zejtun district police on 21 221111.