Murder victim had suspected business partner of misappropriation

Martin Scicluna, who was shot dead in Qormi last month, had told employees that he suspected that his business associate, now accused of the murder, was fiddling with company money, a court was told today.

Last week, Police Inspector Daniel Zammit told the court that it was the accused Dione Mercieca had told the police that Mr Scicluna was misappropriating money from the company.

Norbert Pace, one of the employees, told the court that Mr Scicluna who was the majority shareholder at All Sports, had employed him to help sort out the administration of the company as it was “in a mess”. He said that Mr Scicluna told him that he wanted his business partner Dione Mercieca out of the company as he had suspected foul play in the company’s finances.

Robert Borg said that some time before the killing he had gone to the company's offices and Mr Scicluna had seemed disappointed that Mr Mercieca had been careless with the finances.

A company accountant, Clyde Kelly, said Mr Scicluna had said to him that he wanted to do something to get Mr Mercieca out of the business as he had allegedly caught him fiddling with the finances.

Mr Pace also said that on the day in question Mr Scicluna had left the office for some time and on returning had tears in his eyes because his son had not been accepted at De La Salle College.

He added that when Mr Mercieca came into the office the two men started arguing.

He heard Mr Scicluna tell Mr Mercieca to get his things and leave, and the latter left and came back with a gun and shots rang out.

Defence lawyer Joseph Giglio asked the court to grant bail to Mr Mercieca on the grounds that he would not abscond from the island or approach any witnesses of the prosecution since his cooperation was evident.

Prosecuting Police Inspector Chris Pullicino said that he felt that bail should be refused because of the seriousness of the case. Magistrate Haymen will be taking a decision on Friday.