Two men, a Tunisian and a Libyan who claimed he was due to leave prison yesterday, were charged with the murder of a 20-year-old man whose decomposing body was found dumped in a field in Marsa eight years ago.
Faical Mahouachi, 46, of Tunisia, who lives in a residence for the homeless in Gżira, and 42-year-old Ismael Habesh, of Libya, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Simon Grech on April 5, 2005. They were remanded in custody.
Prosecuting Inspector Chris Pullicino said there were several stages in the investigation, which was put together “bit by bit” over the years. He pointed out that Mr Habesh was among the first to become a suspect.
In fact, he and two other men were questioned over the murder back in 2005, police sources said.
Mr Grech was found by the police eight days after his murder. He had been stabbed. The body, in an advanced stage of decomposition, was lying near the HSBC Bank and close to the roundabout at Is-Salib tal-Marsa after he had been reported missing.
His father had told the police that his son had already been missing for two days. Searches were carried out by the police and by the victim’s family in places where Mr Grech was known to hang out. The area near the field where Mr Grech was found dead was one such area.
However, the body was not discovered straight away because it was lying in tall grass.
Mr Mahouachi’s name came up much later in the investigation, Inspector Pullicino told Magistrate Gabriella Vella.
“There was positive identification of the two men and this was put together with evidence collected from the crime scene,” he said.
The two men pleaded not guilty to the murder and to being in possession of a knife in the commission of a crime, as well as to relapsing
Mr Mahouachi said that he did not know anything about the case. “I don’t know why I’m here,” he said.
Lawyer Joe Ellis, who appeared as legal aid for both men, pointed out that Mr Habesh was about to be released from prison yesterday.
Inspector Pullicino said he only concluded the case yesterday and had enough evidence to present in court. He also contested a request for bail for the two men, saying they were not “trustworthy”. Mr Mahouachi had left the island while facing judicial procedures, Inspector Pullicino said.
Dr Ellis argued that Mr Mahouachi had a wife and three children, while Mr Habesh was a grandfather. Both of his clients had stable ties and had lived in Malta for many years.
Magistrate Vella denied the men bail and accepted a request from the prosecution to freeze their assets.