Mgarr murder: Accused told police victim drove at him

The man who stands accused of the murder of his former girlfriend in Mgarr on December 11 told the police that he fired the shots after she drove at him and he became scared, a police inspector testified today.

Inspector Edmond Cuschieri was giving evidence in the compilation of evidence against Kenneth Gafa', 38 of Marsa, who stands accused of the fatal shooting of Christina Sammut, 40.

Inspector Cuschieri said he had gone to the scene of the incident and seen Ms Sammut slumped in the driver's seat of her van. The van had a smashed driver's door window but no other damage, indicating that the shots were fired directly at the driver's window. Two shotgun cartridges were found.

Mr Gafa' later turned himself in at Hamrun police station and said he had fired at a woman. Later, during interrogation, he said he had not intended to kill Ms Sammut but had shot when he became frightened after she drove at him. He said he used to be afraid of her brothers, who had threatened him, and he had bought the gun for his own defence some four months earlier.

Another witness, PS Stephen Bezzina said he lived at Mgarr and heard the shooting as he left his house. He rushed to the scene and called the police and an ambulance.

While on the scene he had seen a man who had been waiting in a van walk up to the victim's car and start calling out her name. He had questioned the man, who told him that he knew the victim, and gave him her name.

Alfred Xuereb, who had been the man mentioned by MS Bezzina, said he first met Christina Sammut five weeks previously and she had recommended that he meet her counsellor. An appointment with the counsellor was fixed for the day before the murder, but it was later cancelled.

Christina and himself had still met up however, and she told him how she had a difficult relationship and was being threatened. She also asked him to drop her off at a police station to file a report.

On the day of the incident he was supposed to meet her at Mgarr. He arrived early and dozed off, being woken up by the sound of the shooting, which he first thought were exploding tyres. He then saw her slumped in the van.

The case continues.