Jurors view Facebook wall printout

A printout of the Facebook wall of a witness in a trial was given to members of the jury by the prosecution yesterday.

Lawyer Nadine Sant, from the Attorney General’s Office, asked Mr Justice Michael Mallia for permission to hand out the printout in the trial by jury of Ronnie Azzopardi, who is pleading not guilty to trying to kill the brother of the man who had murdered his own brother, Jason, Is-Sufu, in 2001. His brother’s murderer, Melchior Spiteri is serving a 30-year jail term for the crime. Jonathan Spiteri was injured in the shooting.

The Facebook wall page belongs to the nephew of the accused, Clayton, who said that on the night his uncle was meant to have shot Jonathan, he was with him. He said he had gone for a drive together with his mother and his uncle.

Mr Azzopardi said that, despite the fact that Melchior Spiteri had killed his father, he was still on speaking terms with the Spiteri family and occasionally he even went out with Melchior’s younger brother Manuel.

He said his family was satisfied that Melchior got what he deserved and that was it.

At this point, Dr Sant asked the court to exhibit the printout of the Facebook wall page and told the witness he did not believe in the justice system despite declaring otherwise in court. A comment on Facebook included invective and insults aimed at the judiciary and the whole justice system.

She said the comment denouncing the justice system was posted on the day court notifications were sent for witnesses to be present for the trial.

Mr Azzopardi said his comment had nothing to do with the trial, insisting it was an expression of frustration because police officers had followed his car at Manoel Island when he was on duty as a security services manager.

In the report on the trial that appeared yesterday, it was stated that witness Mary Rose Cassar said that after a bomb was placed under her car people had told her the accused had expressed the intention to do so. The Times also reported Ms Cassar said there was a pending court case about the incident. It must be pointed out that the witness did not say there was a court case about the bomb under her car. The error is regretted.

The case continues.

Lawyers Edward Gatt and Kris Busietta appeared for the accused.