A man charged with the murder of an elderly woman in her Cospicua home 19 years ago told the police how he and another two men knocked at her door, robbed her of some Lm6,000 and stabbed her before they left.
Police Inspector Christopher Pullicino told a magistrate how during questioning Silvio Mangion told the police that another two men - the late Oswald and Leli Spiteri - and himself, robbed Maria Stella Magrin of her money and, before they fled the place, he and Oswaldo Spiteri stabbed the woman several times.
The inspector was testifying before Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona at the start of the compilation of evidence against Mr Mangion who has been charged with the murder of Ms Magrin at her home on October 29, 1986. He is pleading not guilty.
Mr Mangion is undergoing separate court proceedings for the murder of Rozina Zammit in her Safi home 21 years ago. He is also serving a 21-year jail term for the murder of Frenc Cassar, 74, of Zejtun, and the attempted murder of Guza Cassar on August 18, 1988.
During yesterday's testimony Inspector Pullicino explained that on October 26, 1986, President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici informed police that there was a woman wailing with pain in her Cospicua residence.
On arriving on the scene the police found Ms Magrin's lifeless body in a pool of blood. There were no signs of a break-in and police learnt that the woman had been stabbed several times. Several people were called in for questioning but no one was ever charged with committing the murder.
Then, a few months ago, the inspector was informed that Mr Mangion was involved in the murder.
Mr Mangion was called in for questioning. He initially denied his involvement but eventually admitted to the murder of Ms Magrin during a burglary. He also told police that there were another two people involved in the crime which had been committed on the suggestion of one of the two men, whom he identified as Oswaldo Spiteri and his uncle Leli Spiteri.
Mr Mangion told police that on the day of the crime the three men had knocked at Ms Magrin's door and, when she opened, they pushed her inside, asked her to give them her money and took off with Lm2,000 each.
But before they left the woman's house, Mr Mangion told the police, he and Oswaldo Spiteri, both armed with a knife, stabbed her several times.
Some time after Mr Mangion spoke to the police Oswaldo Spiteri was arrested and questioned about the crime. He first denied any involvement but then admitted that he was present when the woman was robbed.
Mr Spiteri insisted that he was not involved in the murder and explained that he and his uncle ran away from Ms Magrin's home when they saw Mr Mangion stab her.
The inspector went on to explain that the police then arraigned Mr Mangion and charged him with the murder of Ms Magrin. He also explained that Leli Spiteri passed away last year while Oswald Spiteri died recently.
At the end of the sitting the magistrate ruled that there were sufficient reasons for Mr Mangion to be indicted.