Police officer testifies on knife attack

A police inspector yesterday gave an overview of the investigations that led to a man being arrested and charged with the attempted murder of two men in Birkirkara earlier this month.

Inspector Kevin Farrugia took the witness stand before Magistrate Saviour Demicoli in the compilation of evidence against Raymond Zammit, 37, of Birkirkara who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Herman Zammit and his son Stephen in Anglu Mallia Street on December 5.

Inspector Farrugia said that on the day of the incident Raymond Zammit filed a report at the Birkirkara police station claiming an argument between him and two men had broken out after they objected to the way he was parked. He said a knife had been used.

The inspector was later informed that Herman Zammit and his son had been taken to hospital where they were treated for injuries. Herman Zammit suffered serious injuries on the face and neck and his son had been slightly injured on a shoulder and on his side.

Inspector Farrugia said that during a search at the accused's Birkirkara residence, Zammit gave the police the knife he had used during the fight and explained that he had washed the blood off.

The following day he released a statement in which he explained that on the day of the incident he had parked his van outside a sweet shop but Herman and Stephen Zammit told him not to park there.

He went home but after some time he started worrying that the men would damage his van as they looked drunk. He decided to check on the van and took a kitchen knife with him in case the two men assaulted him.

An argument broke out and Herman Zammit produced a pen knife. Raymond Zammit said he started brandishing his kitchen knife and remembered hitting Herman Zammit because he saw him bleed but did not recall hitting Stephen Zammit.

Herman and Stephen Zammit said they were outside a sweet shop with another man when Raymond Zammit parked his van on a yellow line. They told him he would be fined but he said he did not care and walked away.

Sometime later, they said, Raymond Zammit returned and assaulted Stephen Zammit. Herman Zammit asked him why he had assaulted his son and Raymond Zammit hit him in the face with a knife.

At the end of yesterday's sitting Magistrate Demicoli ruled there were enough reasons for Raymond Zammit to be indicted.