Fiona Galea Debono
'The robbers threatened to cut off my fingers'
Labour MP Anthony Zammit tells of ordeal at hands of brutal robbers
It was his engagement in a "battle of the wits"- even feigning heart attack and concussion - with his three gun-wielding aggressors that saw Labour MP and surgeon Anthony Zammit survive a two-hour-long, violent robbery at his Żebbuġ home in the early hours of Tuesday.
In between being beaten and gagged and having a sawn-off shotgun menacingly pointed at his forehead, Mr Zammit told The Times he managed to keep his wits about him and play a mind game that allowed him to gather information on his aggressors, including the name and nickname of two, which he even addressed them by during the attack.
The three men have been captured on CCTV footage entering Mr Zammit's house, bang in Żebbuġ's main San Filep Square, with a key - it takes them a mere 40 seconds to get in, he says.
One is even seen going back out to fetch his carnival mask from the nearby car 15 minutes later, and the three are caught exiting two hours after, in which time, they beat Mr Zammit and even threatened to cut off his toes and fingers.
He recalls them asking him: "What shall we start with?"
Mr Zammit maintains the robbers were commissioned by whoever got hold of his house key - four people have it, each of whom he trusts blindly, and he recently also handed the bunch to a fifth trusted person. Either one of these betrayed him, or the key was taken from them and copied without them knowing, he believes.
It was not a simple key and Mr Zammit thinks an ID card is required to cut a copy.
"It must have been someone who knows me and got hold of my key. He commissioned the whole thing... The question is who gave it to them?"
Blow by blow - in the literal sense of the words - a soft-spoken Mr Zammit recounts his traumatising ordeal in detail, sitting in his cluttered, cool courtyard, a supposed haven, right on the town's busy pjazza and hardly a dodgy location.
It is probably only quiet between 2 a.m. and 4, when the neighbouring bar opens for tea, and the house is also right next to a BOV bank, with CCTV cameras scouring the area. In fact, the robbers did not take into account that St Philips Bar would be open when they left and the third is seen retreating into the house when he notices.
Today, Mr Zammit questions the security of his home of 23 years as he lights one cigarette after another, always, however, retaining his composure. It was probably that same calm frame of mind that saved him.
"By keeping my calm, I also kept the robbers calm. When an aggressor is excited, he cannot account for what he is going to do...
"To a certain extent, I think I won that battle. Had I panicked, I do not know how it would have ended. It is the brain that has to work at that point. You cannot do anything with your body.
"The robbers were not confronted with the normal reaction. Maybe my profession helped me not to panic under stress. They were expecting me to retaliate, so I disarmed them and they had to think afresh.
"I called the guy by name and told him that if he did not shoot me, I was going to die of a heart attack and they would be blamed anyway," a bruised and tired Mr Zammit recalls.
Although one of his aggressors actually fetched the tablet and patch he requested when feigning a heart attack, there were moments when Mr Zammit was convinced they would go all the way and kill him.
He feared most for his life when one of the assailants actually stood on his neck, while the other stuffed a shirt into his mouth, which he tried to resist with his tongue, and held his nose. "It was not a big foot - about size 38," he recalls. But the suffocating pain was unbearable.
At that point, he thought: "Now, I am going. I felt I could not breathe... But because I was so sweaty, my nose slipped his grip and I took a deep breath."
Another bad moment was when one of the aggressors was moving a revolver against his body. "At one point, he put it in a pillow and I heard him charge it - it was a strange noise and I thought he was going to shoot," he shivers at the thought.
The constant blows, even with the shotgun, resulted in two black eyes, and other facial injuries: Mr Zammit points to two bumps on his head; an abrasion over his right ear, preventing him from opening his mouth properly; and "quite a serious skull fracture" on the left of his face to the base of the orbit of his eye. The rest of his body is bruised and he hobbles to the door to lock up before taking a nap.
Another cigarette and Mr Zammit recalls the sequence of events of that fateful night. He arrived home from dinner at St Paul's Bay at 2.10 a.m.... It was 2.30 a.m. when he set his alarm clock, after feeding the cat... Around 20 minutes later, when he was just dosing off, he awoke to find two men on either side, and another sitting on his chest, gagging him, telling him to keep quiet and that they were after the money.
"I thought it was the cat at first... I hear well, but I did not hear a single thing that time...
"I am sure they expected me to be there... Looking back, I am certain they did not know the layout of the house, yet they came straight onto me, according to the time interval. The ceiling fan must have led them to think I was in my room."
Mr Zammit did not resist - another move he claims contributed to his survival. He was forced to turn round and his hands and feet were bound by his own ties, and later, even tighter by the lampshade wire.
"I told them the only money I had was on the chest of drawers in two elastic bands, ready to be deposited the next day."
But he was not believed and more money was requested - to the tune of €23,000 and harsh kicking and hitting. He could only answer: "Do you think I keep that kind of money at home?
"One of them said he saw me going in and out of the bank on several occasions, but I told him I go to deposit money."
Mr Zammit was gagged with a stocking and his bedroom ransacked. "I was asked if I was alone in the house and I told them I was."
One of the robbers stayed with him, while the other went looking through the house, he says, recalling their attire - "I did not have my contact lenses on." One had a balaclava, and the other was wearing a carnival mask of an old man, but he cannot describe the third.
In the end, they stole about €1,200, some wristwatches and a signet ring with diamonds. But Mr Zammit is not too sure, or even bothered at this stage. He has not yet gone through what else could be missing.
"In one room, there is a big plastic bag with silver, but it must have torn and he panicked, taking a bit and leaving the rest."
The coup de grâce before leaving was a heavy blow - "full of hatred" - to his thighs, one on one side and three on the other, with the butt of the sawn-off shotgun. "He wanted to break my thigh. Had it been an old lady, or someone not as strong, he would have managed.
"When they left the room, I was lying across the bed, purposely breathing extremely shallowly and sighing at intervals, faking concussion," Mr Zammit demonstrates. "I am sure they spent about three minutes in the adjacent study, waiting to see how I was going to react."
He is confident the perpetrators of the crime will be caught - the police have already questioned a number of people, but Mr Zammit has not been called to identify anyone, though he claims he would recognise them from their voice and stature.
They are definitely not locals, he maintains. "I told them: surely you are not children of San Filep. I am quite known here. I am also the honorary president of the band club and have good relations with the others."
The fact that his aggressors are still on the loose does worry him - not just for himself, but also for those who may be in danger of experiencing what he did.
"I am recounting my story to express solidarity with all those who have been through what I have and those who may be the victims in the future.
"We push the elderly to stay at home. As a consultant surgeon, I discharge patients and encourage them to go home because their surroundings help them recover. Now, I feel I am sending them into the mouth of these culprits.
"Civil society needs to be protected. I have already spoken to the local council to set up cameras at strategic points. We should look after our elderly community, with police patrols and checks."
Mr Zammit's injuries are not only physical. "When I go to bed, I cannot sleep; I wake up looking at the doors to see if somebody is there.
"Nevertheless, I want to be alone to face my fears. People have offered to sleep over, but I want to go through this personally... I think if I do not do that, I could start hating the house."
Mr Zammit, who operated on former Opposition leader Alfred Sant last December, is used to opening his door to people and examining them.
"In spite of all, I think I will try to remain the same because people need help. I plan to go back to work by Tuesday. I'm not the type to take a break."
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Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Sep 3rd 2008, 08:52
Daphne Caruana Galizia speaks about good investigative skills. What would she know about good investigators? Her only qualification, as far as I know, is in archaeology. She digs dirt, real or imagined. One thing a good investigator needs: an unbiased mind. DCC is well short of that. And I assume she is not short of a quid but is she short of a full quid?
She has attacked Zammit because he is not a member of her party. Which is why she attacks Evarist Bartolo and Alfred Sant. Has the woman a pathological hatred of the MLP?
To attack a victim of a home invasion - whatever his or her politics - is low. How would she feel if her husband or one of her three sons was attacked?
Andrew John Mercieca
Aug 19th 2008, 10:18
Full support to Mr Zammit at this trying time. from andrew mercieca and family.
Nadia Camilleri
Aug 18th 2008, 13:38
How would Ms D Caruana Galizia react if something like this happened to her? Would she forgive and forget? I doubt that very much. Most probably she would be front page on all papers in the EU saying that robbers were "ignorant" Labour diehard supporters!!
Lady (if we can call you that), stop spitting venom and for once be a bit considerate for others. Most probably you are reacting this way cos Mr Zammit is a Labour MP. If it was the other way round, you would go through thick and thin demanding justice.
r.spiteri
Aug 18th 2008, 11:03
Fr.Mark Montebello what do you think about this ordeal that Mr Zammit and all previous victims went through?Do you think that they shall be treated with silver service?
Joe Galea
Aug 18th 2008, 10:25
Daphne Caruana galizia is telling us that the robbery and beating are only speculations, perhaps fabricated by Mr. Zammit.
SIMPLY PATETHIC!!!!
Dennis Agius
Aug 18th 2008, 09:27
Harsh penalties ONLY could solve the problem. being sent in a luxury sort of a correctional facility can't help anyone to reform. Maybe one day these persons will be captured, maybe sent to prison (if not with a suspended sentence) then we will be having many volunteers crying out for their help, while the victim will still suffer mentally. Discipline only comes with deterrants, and as one can see our correctional facility is doing nothing to deter criminals from committing another crime when out on bail or free from a sentence.
By being pitiful to criminals we are only helping them to continue their operations outside ransacking our elderlies, and our society.
Where is Fr. Montebello? has he ever visited victims years after suffering a crime, to see that they are still suffering morally from an attack by these saintly criminals!
Joe Galea
Aug 18th 2008, 08:49
@Franco farrugia: Please can you explain what do you mean by that? This is not a Transformers movie.
I assure everybody that Mr. Zammit is not doing this for publicity or anything else. He doesn't need it all. You have to know him personally to know what he is passing through, like fighting nightmares at night after this trauma. Yes there are more deeper things than this which are horrifying and others which make this man a brave person and show his immense humanity. So all those writing absurdities in here driven by political reasons, please get a life. He didn't want to give this interview at first, but then he decided to do it to show to everyone what ordeal victims like him pass thorugh and hopefully raise a national awareness. Just for everyone to know, his big pain wasn't due all the bruises he suffered, but because he couldn't see his patients and due to the fact he had to miss operations during the past week. His dedication to the profession and towards his patients is definitely unmeasureable.
Joe Galea
Aug 18th 2008, 08:33
@Daphne Caruana Galizia: Insinuating things which you don't know, and as usual seeding any sort of doubt is highly disgusting. Yes Mr. Zammit can be a naive person since he believes in people. Yes he could have made a mistake by leaving the house key with the bunch he gave to the 5th person. The other 4 persons who have the key are highly trustworthy and 'kill' (metaphorically) for Mr. Zammit. However, these are all assumptions and not accusations.
Daphne, I hope you never have to pass through this tragic experience yourself as no one wishes evil on others. The difference between you and Mr. zammit is as wide as the ocean: he saves lives and is respected by everyone (except you) and you are only respected by a few PN diehards.
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Aug 17th 2008, 23:17
D. Bugeja: You wouldn't make the most excellent investigator. So far, these are the only cast-iron facts: the man who runs the bar next to Mr Zammit's home raised the alarm when he saw two men leave Mr Zammit's house at an unusual hour. The police entered the house accompanied by a friend of Mr Zammit who lives in the vicinity, and found Mr Zammit bound and gagged in his bedroom, with the bedroom door closed. The CCTV footage showed those men entering the house by the normal fashion, through the front door and using a key. They left by the same route, two hours later. That's all we know for sure. Anything else is speculation, including threats and robbery.
dbugeja
Aug 17th 2008, 09:49
@Daphne Caruana Galizia
Having a key to someone else house doesn't give you the right to enter the house and threaten the owner.
@G. Caruana
I agree with you . Perhaps now Fr Montebello will tell us who the victim is. Perhaps he would say the thieves?
Eddie Vella
Aug 17th 2008, 08:56
Tony is a true Maltese example of a real gentleman.Keep it up ,we are all grateful for what you do as a profession.I am one who has benefited from your services.
Carmel Saliba
Aug 17th 2008, 07:23
Profs Zammit stated that "We push the elderly to stay at home. As a consultant surgeon, I discharge patients and encourage them to go home because their surroundings help them recover. Now, I feel I am sending them into the mouth of these culprits".
His beliefs are true. Such elderly should be protected by those concerned. Even the younger needs to live quite at home.
CCTV needs to be installed in different places to reduce such incidents. As stated by Mr Zammit's injuries are not only physical. "When I go to bed, I cannot sleep; I wake up looking at the doors to see if somebody is there'. The psychological is even worse.
I believe that many cases related to Profs Zammit are done by those who one trust in his house environment.
corinne.vella
Aug 17th 2008, 06:57
a. bezzina: What is "access to medical professionalism and ethics"?
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Aug 17th 2008, 00:26
I see a lot of people here are rushing to judgement and haven't bothered to read the article carefully. The men had a key to Mr Zammit's front door, which is how they got in, and Mr Zammit knew their names and their nicknames. I agree with Franco Farrugia that there is far more to this story. You have to be naive to take this at face value. I think Mr Zammit has made a great mistake to draw so much attention to this case. It may yet rebound on him.
A Bezzina
Aug 16th 2008, 21:58
@ t borg. I've never seen a rose being taken over by the devil. Roses which do not live up to our expectations of a sweet smelling, folded masterpiece of colour are dead-headed or removed from the vase. In a civilized society, one either lives by the rules and respect others living by those rules or stay out and forfeit the benefits of that same civilized society.
Adrian Cardona
Aug 16th 2008, 21:46
@ Mario Mercieca
what do you mean by "political terrorism is back"? What exactly are you suggesting? A comment like yours is just designed to foment hatred. On what basis did you arrive at your incredibly stupid and ignorant conclusion? Pray enlighten us.
Joseph Attard
Aug 16th 2008, 20:15
A word of praise to this diligent gentleman true to the word. My late brother who happened to be Dr Zammit patient four years back was also a victim to a house intrusion while he was in the house at Zurrieq at 2am, ina night on January 2004. He phoned me to tell me that he locked himself in his bedroom. I phoned mobile squad and left racing with my car to Zurrieq from Iklin, arriving before the Mobile Squad, they entered through a garage door below found open, and went upstairs, what a trauma he went through, he passed away a few months after that horrible incident, and nothing was ever done about it by the law, they just jot it down as another burglary!
The Police need to be there patrolling all the time, and when they catch criminals of this sort , the law courts should justify the work of the police and send these guys behind bars and throw the keys away. If they want the money the should work for it !
Citizens like Dr Zammit need respect and the deep sense of peacfulness that something like this will not happen ever again.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 16th 2008, 19:18
When all the emotional comments have been made, I still believe that there is more than meets the eye, in this narrative. Certain things simply do not make sense. Hopefully, the culprits will be caught so that the truth will eventually out.
Anthony Busuttil
Aug 16th 2008, 19:14
Mr Zammit stands out not only for his smart endurance but also for his brave and generous account of the whole ordeal. How many people would have been willing to talk about such a horrible experience? It surely helps us understand much better what similar victims have to go through, sometimes even ending up murdered. I’m sure Mr Zammit, even in this difficult moment, wants to do his bit so that we could all do something in the face of such bitter realities. Well done, brave man.
Conny Dittrich
Aug 16th 2008, 19:11
Why is the CTV footage, which shows the culprits not published? This would probably save a lot of time to find the them. Allthough if the qualtiy of these photos is not first class, but some still might recognise them and may will come forward with information. Terrible to think, that these people are still out there somewhere to strike again.
t. borg
Aug 16th 2008, 19:09
Sorry I disagree with Mr. A. bezzina "let them be known and let no medical officer on this Island ever give them, or there immediate family, access to medical professionalism and ethics."
We are all like a rose with good and bad. Sometimes the devil takes over. Christ acted differently, He could have killed instantly all thoe who crucified him but instead he gave love. Who done this horrible thing will never have peace in him and this is the greatest punishment.
matthew brincat
Aug 16th 2008, 17:27
this can happen to anybody, infact a lot of maltese and gozotians have passed through a similar ordeal.i really feel sorry for all the poeple that happen to pass from this same bad expercience all with a different way
Charles Camilleri
Aug 16th 2008, 17:05
@ dbugeja And more. They have father Montebello and others like him doing their utmost to give them an easy and shorter prison life.
Mary Mizzi
Aug 16th 2008, 16:55
One just hopes that when the culprits do get caught , justice will not only be done, but be seen to be done and hopefully they will not be let off with a pittance of a sentence as in the case of when Tarcisio Mifsud, the Enemalta Financial Controller whose sympathies and integrity is also when known among the Zebbugin - who also got beaten in the privacy of his own home.
D Fenech
Aug 16th 2008, 16:47
This is an amazing story filled with hate! How low can some people go? What fabric constitues their being? Reads like a Mafia story we see in the movies! It is terrifying to realise that "people" like these walk in our midst!
I do not know the Professor except through the media but he has demonstrated some amazing mettle! To transfer his thoughts to the needs of others especially the vulnerable old is so admirable!
May god bless you and help you pull through. This summer has been tainted with some very tragic stories but also it has also revealed some amazing courage and altruism!
Joseph Galea
Aug 16th 2008, 16:42
This account is a superb 'victim impact statement' that should be carefully considered by the courts when the aggressors are brought to justice (hopefully very soon.)
dbugeja
Aug 16th 2008, 16:33
These kinds of things will keep on going as law and sentences are very lenient. If one reads in the newspaper you will see that ' the accused have been found guilty but has been given a four years jail term susended for three years'
And then they do it again and again and again.
I am against any sort of violence from the police force but these people need to be taught a lesson.How could they not work and yet they pay thousands of euros to bail out and been seen with flashy cars???
Dr. Noel Calleja
Aug 16th 2008, 16:26
Mr. Zammit is a professional, is a doctor and is a friend. For sure that our hearts go out to you during these difficult times as it does to help us out in our difficult moments. You are in our prayers
Mario Mercieca
Aug 16th 2008, 16:20
IS POLITICAL TERRORISM BACK?
THE ORDEAL OF DR. ZAMMIT IS WORSE THAN WHAT OUR FELLOW MR. XERRI FACED AT THE KIDNAPPER’S HANDS IN NIEGERIA!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Aug 16th 2008, 15:35
What is really sad is, and I am sure from Profs Zammit's comments that he would agree, that this scenarion has been played before with elderly victims.
It is only when someone famous or well known, like Profs Zammit is attacked, that this becomes a scandal!
Whilst I sincerely hope that the police get the culprits as soon as possible, I also sincerely hope that the effort they are putting into solving this case, is put into similar cases in the future...
Paul Caruana
Aug 16th 2008, 15:32
A small note to the aggressors:- what satisafation did you get out of this? How do you manage to sleep at night? Considering that our life is relatively short and we will face judgement whatsoever, is money more important to you rather than your soul? Or do you consider yourself immortal? My pet thinks this way. Mind you, I am not the pope or Dun Guzepp, but I do think of these things. What if Mr Zammit have saved a relative of yours life, is this how you thank him? I hope you consider all these points before its too late for you.
I take this opportunity to wish Mr Zammit a speedy recovery and forget this bad experience. Like to many others, Mr Zammit has given our loved ones a new life by means of his profession and charming attitude. We love you Mr Zammit.
J. Schembri
Aug 16th 2008, 14:30
I cannot believe such acts happen in Malta!
Albert Gauci Cunningham
Aug 16th 2008, 14:30
Which God creates minds like these??? I mean is there not even an ounce of compassion in some people?? How do people become like this?? Society? Parents? Friends??
I Abela
Aug 16th 2008, 14:16
In my opinion we should go back to the legal system of mesopotamia. Eye for an eye. Tooth for a tooth. Once convicted, these people should be roughed up, then sent behind bars, locked and the key thrown away, and the doors welded. We speak of human rights? They were born with their human rights but they forfeited them when they disregarded other people's human rights (in this case Prof Zammit).
James A. Tyrrell
Aug 16th 2008, 13:31
I do not know you Anthony but God knows I have the greatest respect for you. As a child growing up in N. Ireland I can remember my parents and grandparents going out and leaving their doors open. Now we are forced to live in almost siege conditions with burglar alarms and numerous locks. It is a sad state of affairs when an elderly gentleman like you cannot even feel safe in his own home.
Your presence of mind in such circumstances is truly amazing. How many people could state that their attacker had smallish feet about size 38, when that foot was on their neck at the time? Truly amazing. I join with every right thinking person in hoping that these criminals are caught and caught soon before they kill someone. I know it's east to say Anthony but I hope you get over this ordeal soon and learn to love and feel save in your home again. All the best.
apgrech
Aug 16th 2008, 13:05
"In spite of all, I think I will try to remain the same because people need help. I plan to go back to work by Tuesday. I'm not the type to take a break."
Noble words coming from a true gentleman who was victimized by cruel people whose lives will hopefully soon change from free persons to statues locked in a cell where they belong.
People pay money to gain freedom - you stole some money to lose your freedom. Was it worth it? Hope soon you'll have ample time to think about your criminal foolishness. Everyone supported Mr Zammit but no one will support you - you'll be all alone in a cell disliked by all.
God be with you, Mr Zammit.
MARIO TABONE-VASSALLO
Aug 16th 2008, 11:55
Four square with a friend and respected colleague
A Bezzina
Aug 16th 2008, 11:45
Once the perpetrators are brought to book, let them be known and let no medical officer on this Island ever give them, or there immediate family, access to medical professionalism and ethics. Get well soon Anthony.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 16th 2008, 11:04
But this is disgusting!!!!! No stone must be left unturned to trace and bring to severe justice these culprits!!!
G.Caruana
Aug 16th 2008, 10:44
This is indeed a sad story, not only sad for Mr. Zammit, but even more so for the social, catholic fabric we were brought up with. Even when I needed money I never resorted to such humiliating, life treathening tactics. I just got a life I suppose and went to work for it, dropped off ugly habits I had that would not let me keep up with my salary.
It is further sad, that the law courts are further compounding the problem by giving slaps on the hand as sentences. Some of these same thieves that brutally robbed Mr. Zammit might have passed through a previous case with a suspended sentence, then another chance, then maybe a small prison sentence. With the likes of Fr. Mark Montebello saying that society does not help prisoners and wants them to get more benefits. Some people only learn when they get harsh sentences, that is when they burst out crying in the courtroom knowing they will rot in prison for what they did. We nearly had a dead Mr. Zammit...let me see how many people are going to write in favour of outlaws and how society should treat them positively.
Rebecca Sultana
Aug 16th 2008, 10:35
Dear Mr Zammit
Our hearts go out to you during this traumatic time. We are really shocked and saddened by what you had to go through.
You're not only a uniquely sensitive and caring doctor but also a true gentleman with lovely and loving qualities that make you stand out from the crowd.
You are in our thought and prayers.
Rebecca and Reuben Sultana
Maria Muscat
Aug 16th 2008, 10:32
Profs Anthony Zammit is an amazing gentleman and this story proved his mental strength. God Bless him.