Jurors yesterday started hearing evidence against a Libyan man who is standing trial for complicity in a robbery which ended with the murder of hairstylist Alfie Rizzo, in his Gzira salon, six years ago.

Ibrahim Ramandan Ghamber Shnishah, 27, is pleading not guilty to complicity in theft qualified by violence that resulted in the murder of Rizzo, and to the possession of a knife without a licence.

The bill of indictment drafted by the prosecution was read to the nine jurors and four supplementaries in the trial presided by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono.

The prosecution is claiming that on February 4, 1998, Shnishah met Aimen Said Giali El Baden at the Black Gold Saloon in Sliema. Shnishah told El Baden that Rizzo was a wealthy man and he would make arrangements for El Baden to be alone with Rizzo so he could kill him and rob him.

At about 9.30 p.m. that same day Shnishah introduced El Baden to Rizzo and the two (El Baden and Rizzo) then went to Rizzo's hair salon where they were to have sexual relations.

While at the salon El Baden stabbed Rizzo several times with the knife that Shnishah had given him earlier on.

El Baden took Lm30 in cash and other items belonging to Rizzo. He then escaped with Shnishah who was waiting outside the salon.

Shnishah, 27, is the second Libyan to be tried over the murder. El Baden was jailed for 25 years after jurors on May 14, 2002 unanimously found him guilty of the murder.

In his opening address Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara described Shnishah as the "master mind" and told jurors that El Baden was the bait that Shnishah used to get what he wanted.

Police Inspector Carmelo Magri took the witness stand and explained that on the night between February 4 and 5, 1998, he was informed that Rizzo had been found dead in his salon.

When he went on the scene he found Rizzo lying in a pool of blood with several stab wounds. There were clothes and gold items in the salon and near the cash register there were a pair of Big Star Jeans. The key of the cash register was bent, indicating that someone had tried to force it open.

Inspector Magri and his colleague, Inspector Mario Bonnici, led the investigations into the case.

They learnt that Rizzo frequented Arab men so they arrested some men who had been seen with Rizzo. On February 14, 1998, El Baden and a certain Shafi were arrested and the next day Shnishah and his flat mate, Stephen Sammut, were arrested.

Then Shafi approached police and told them he had something to tell them that would allow him to ease his conscience.

"He said that he knew who had killed Alfie Rizzo and knew who had assisted the murderer and directed me towards the accused as the person who helped the murderer," Inspector Magri said. Further investigations strengthened this thesis and police approached Shnishah.

He initially denied knowing Rizzo or El Baden but in a statement released on February 16, 1998, Shnishah said he noticed Rizzo in Gzira and knew he frequented Arab men. He had also seen him on television and knew he was a hairdresser.

He said he had first met El Baden in Libya and he had lived with him in Sammut's flat for a few days.

On the night of the murder he had met some friends at Ronnie's Bar near Black Gold Saloon.

Inspector Magri explained that investigations revealed that El Baden had left his blood-stained jeans at the salon and wore Rizzo's trousers. In the trousers there were Rizzo's car keys and car alarm control and Lm30 in cash. The keys and control were eventually retrieved from the Gzira seabed by Armed Forces of Malta soldiers.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Cassar gave an overview of his involvement in the investigations. He explained how El Baden had a wound in the left ring finger which looked like a bite mark.

Court expert Martin Bajjada said he had scanned a bite mark on Rizzo's arm, above his right elbow, and compared it to a cast of Rizzo's teeth. Comparative analysis showed the bite had been self inflicted. Rizzo's cast was also compared to the bite mark on El Baden's finger which resulted in a match.

Sandro Kitcher explained that at the time he worked at Super One. On the night of the murder Rizzo's wife called the studio and said that he had not gone home.

Kitcher together with Raymond Azzopardi, Paul Attard and Anthony Bayliss decided to go and check if Rizzo was at his father's house but first they passed by the salon.

There they saw Rizzo's car and the door of the salon was ajar. Azzopardi and Attard walked in first.

Azzopardi, who took the witness stand, explained that there was a dim light coming from another room and as he walked into the salon he stumbled over Rizzo's body. They called the police and the ambulance and went outside to wait.

The trial continues this morning.

Dr Joseph Brincat is appearing for Shnishah.

Dr Emmanuel Mallia is representing Rizzo's family.

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