The former partner of lawyer Margaret Mifsud tried to strangle her three weeks before she was found dead in a car in mysterious circumstances, a magistrate heard yesterday.

Police Sergeant Kevin Grima recounted how on March 24, a panic-stricken Dr Mifsud had gone to the Birkirkara police station with her two children claiming that Nizar Mustafa Al-Gadi, the Libyan father of her two girls, had tried to strangle her with a white string.

He was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Mr Al-Gadi, 33, from Tripoli, who was charged with the illegal arrest of Dr Mifsud, slightly injuring her and threatening to kill her and their children. He is also accused of committing a crime during the operative period of a suspended sentence.

Just three weeks later, on April 19, Dr Mifsud’s lifeless body was discovered in her car in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

Her handbag was not found in the car, even though colleagues told the police she was carrying a bag during a farewell party in Xemxija the night before. Her mobile phone and purse were also missing.

After dropping a friend off in Buġibba at about 11.30 p.m. on April 18, Dr Mifsud was meant to return to Birkirkara, where she lived with her parents and daughters, but she never got home. The following morning, her mother reported her missing and her body was found at about 2 p.m. during a routine police patrol.

An autopsy on the 31-year-old mother indicated she might not have died of natural causes, as was initially thought, but the results were deemed inconclusive.

The investigations into her death had revolved around Mr Al-Gadi with whom she had a troubled relationship.

For some time he was being treated as the prime suspect but the police did not have enough evidence against him.

Testifying before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit in the case initiated through a police summons, Mr Grima said on the day in question, Dr Mifsud called at the police station in Birkirkara with her two children.

He said she looked scared and asked to speak to the police inspector on duty. She then filed a police report saying that at about 9.30 a.m. while she was at home, Mr Al-Gadi told her he wanted to speak to her.

When she went to the sitting room,he pushed her onto a sofa and tried to strangle her with a white string. Her neck was red, as a result of the alleged attempted strangulation.

He said he called Mr Al-Gadi on his mobile, since his number was on the police database in view of a previous case, and told him to go the police station as they wanted to speak to him. Eventually, Mr Al-Gadi spoke to another officer.

Yesterday’s sitting started and ended with two arguments between the defence and the prosecution.

The first was when defence lawyer Simon Galea Testaferrata objected to a request by lawyer Kathleen Grima that she appear as parte civile for the Mifsud family and on behalf of the couple’s two young children. He based his objections on the fact he police proceeded with the case ex-officio. But the court upheld the request.

He also objected to postponing the case to a date in October, saying his client had been judged through several articles in the media and he wanted the matter to be resolved as soon as possible.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit put off the case to September. Police Inspector Elton Taliana prosecuted.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Manuel Mallia also appeared parte civile for the Mifsud family.