Court exhibit: Missing motorcycle headlamp found

Updated 12.15 p.m. -

The headlamp of a motorcycle thought to have been stolen from the garage of the law courts has been found, a judge was told.

The headlamp was seen to be missing when jurors went down to the garage to see the motorcycle, allegedly used when Jonathan Spiteri was shot five times in Marsascala in 2003. Ronnie Azzopardi is being tried for attempted murder.

Defence lawyer Edward Gatt told the court that he had obtained permission to inspect the motorbike on Thursday 17 March at the police compound in St Andrews and the headlamp was still there.

Prosecutor Nadine Sant said that court expert Joseph Zammit on March 11 had inspected the motorbike and had taken pictures. It was intact at the time. She queried why the defence insisted on seeing the motorcycle since all the photos showed the motorbike with the headlamp.

Mr Justice Mallia said court observed that there might be a situation of tampering of evidence where a crucial and important item was removed just a few days before the trial.

He called on the Commissioner of Police to investigate and said the outcome should be included in the details of this trial.

Shortly after, Superintendent Carmelo Magri testified that he had spoken to the two police officers who transported the motorcycle to the court garage. He said the headlamp fell off while they were preparing to transport it to the court garage and they left it at the St Andrew police compound.

The headlamp was brought to court and exhibited.

Mr Justice Mallia noted that the headlamp was traced after it accidentally fell in St Andrew’s compound while it was being prepared to be transported. Since the headlamp was brought back to court, there was no need for further investigation.

Mr Azzopardi is accused of shooting Mr Spiteri in revenge for the killing, two years before, of his brother Jason Azzopardi by a brother of the victim, Melchior Spiteri.