Prisoner to be charged with Cassone murder

A man from Cospicua who is serving a long prison term for a recent murder is today expected to be charged with the murder of Italian national Vittorio Cassone which happened nearly 14 years ago.

The CID homicide squad, led by Inspector Christopher Pullicino, is understood to have unearthed new evidence in the case.

Cassone, 48, worked at the Chef Italy Gastronomia in Birkirkara Road, St Julians. He was shot by a small calibre pistol on January 13, 1993, in what the police believed was a botched robbery.

The man, 31, who killed him had walked into the shop, where a woman was shopping at the time, and snatched her handbag. He then walked over to Mr Cassone, who was behind the counter, and demanded money from the cash register.

Apparently Mr Cassone fidgeted and panicked as he handed the thief some Lm150 and the robber shot him in the chest in front of other employees who included relatives.

The aggressor was wearing tights over his head. The police had arrested several suspects soon after the murder but the case remained unsolved.

The prime suspect was a man who had escaped from a prison van on the way to the law courts.

The woman's handbag was later found at Attard containing Lm100.

The murder weapon, believed to be a .22 pistol, has not been found.

The prisoner was yesterday seen being taken out of prison in an unmarked CID car and was taken back at 8 p.m.