Experts unable to match fingerprints with those of accused

Fingerprints lifted from the scene of the crime when Baron Francis Sant Cassia was found shot dead outside his home 18 years ago did not match those of a man charged with his murder, a court heard yesterday.

Court expert John Mallia explained how he had been appointed to carry out a comparative analysis of Carmel Camilleri's fingerprints and eight prints lifted from the scene of the crime.

The prints, two of which were not fit for comparison, were lifted from a car found outside the victim's residence - Kastello Zammitello - and from cups and mugs found in the castle's kitchen.

None of the six valid prints matched Mr Camilleri's and, Mr Mallia added, he had not been instructed to compare the lifted prints with the finger prints of anybody else.

The court expert was testifying before Magistrate Lawrence Quintano in the compilation of evidence against Mr Camilleri, 51, of Mosta who is pleading not guilty to the murder of the 68-year-old baron outside his residence in Mgarr, on October 27, 1988.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta, for Mr Camilleri, noted that their client was still under preventive arrest. Apart from the fact that they believed him to be innocent, their client was definitely presumed to be innocent at this stage.

"Here we have a person in jail, whose family is living in poverty because, according to law, he is not entitled to any part of his salary unless he is granted bail," Dr Azzopardi argued.

The lawyer referred to a bail application Mr Camilleri had filed and deplored the fact that the prosecution had not called a main witness, Angelo Muscat, to the stand.

Mr Muscat had already testified, but the prosecution said his testimony differed from three statements he had given to the police on different occasions.

Dr Azzopardi noted that in a previous sitting, the prosecution had declared Mr Muscat a hostile witness and asked the court to hear his evidence again.

Defence counsel claimed that by not producing Mr Muscat to the stand in the past few sittings, the prosecution was using delaying tactics and this was "disloyal and below the belt", even if his client was being detained in prison "instead of someone else".

The lawyer called on the magistrate to grant bail to his client, even on condition he does not leave his home. That way his family, who was currently living on Lm100 a month, could start receiving half of Mr Camilleri's salary in terms of law.

Police Superintendent Peter Paul Zammit and Police Inspector Christopher Pullicino are prosecuting.