Chief Justice revokes bank murder suspect's bail

A man who stands charged with the murder of bank messenger Alphonse Ferriggi in San Gwann on September 18, 2000 has been remanded in custody after the court upheld an application filed by the Attorney General.

Richard Grech, known as Iz-Zinanna, had been granted bail on condition he does not leave his mother's home. But last week his mother Josephine filed an application for this to be changed and stated that she could no longer sleep at her home after he put a knife to her throat.

In the wake of the woman's testimony following her application, the Attorney General too filed an application asking for the bail conditions to be revoked. The court heard Police Inspector Christopher Pullicino testify that since being granted bail, there were various instances where Mr Grech used violence on his girlfriend and that the Magistrates' Court was considering another application for bail to be revoked after Mr Grech was allegedly involved in a hit and run case in Qawra, when he allegedly hit a tourist coach, while under house arrest.

The court, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent Degaetano, on Friday ordered that Mr Grech would be remanded in custody and reserved the right for the Magistrates' Court to continue hearing the pending application.