The man who calls himself a serial killer, Silvio Mangion, was yesterday declared mentally fit to stand trial for the murder of a woman in Cospicua nearly 26 years ago.

Mr Mangion is already serving a life sentence for stabbing to death 54-year-old Rożina Zammit on February 8, 1984, in her Safi home.

He is also serving a 21-year jail term for murdering his neighbour Frenċ Cassar, 74, of Żejtun, and attempting to murder the victim’s sister, Ġuża Cassar, on August 18, 1998. This was Mr Mangion’s third failed attempt to get a jury panel to believe he was insane when he committed the crime.

Before his other murder convictions he had also tried, unsuccessfully, to secure a jury vote from to declare him insane.

It took jurors just 30 minutes to reach a verdict finding him sane when he allegedly killed 68-year-old Maria Stella Magrin on October 30, 1986, as well as mentally fit to stand trial.

During yesterday’s closing arguments, lawyer Nadine Sant from the Attorney General’s Office said he clearly understood what he was doing and what the jurors had before them was a “cold-blooded murder and nothing else”.

She accused him of abusing the legal system by pleading insane to cause a delay.

Mr Mangion’s lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace said his client was not mentally fit to stand trial and his actions more than amply proved this.

He said his client had even asked prosecuting Police Inspector Chris Pullicino if he would be credible if he pleaded insane.

Dr Micallef Stafrace also highlighted that Mr Mangion had gone through 16 years of mental health problems and had lived for the past seven in Mount Carmel hospital suffering from schizophrenia.

The compilation of evidence against him can now continue.