The man behind a powerful bomb blast that killed a woman and injured another in Żejtun in 2005 has been jailed for life.
Ronnie Azzopardi, 41, of Cospicua, was cleared by a jury of the murder of Angela Bondin but found guilty, by seven votes to two, of causing her serious injury which led to her death.
The jurors returned a guilty verdict after seven hours of deliberation following a five-hour summing up by Mr Justice Michael Mallia in a trial that lasted almost two weeks.
The bomb, which was detonated remotely and contained a powerful mix of one kilo of explosive and bullets, exploded on June 18, 2005 in Our Lady of Mercy Street after Ms Grima dragged the grey bag containing the device across the street thinking it was refuse.
He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Tessie Grima, who was with Ms Bondin when the bomb went off, and trying to kill his intended victims – his former sister- in-law and her three children.
Mr Azzopardi stood motionless in the dock as the guilty verdict was read out and his girlfriend sobbed when Mr Justice Mallia pronounced sentence. He ordered that Mr Azzopardi spend three periods of time in isolation.
With six votes to three, the jurors also found him guilty of causing an explosion that could have injured his brother, Antoine, but cleared him of the charge of damaging a car.
Ms Grima had said in court that she was on the roof of her home when she spotted a car come to a halt near a red letter box. Someone in the vehicle left a grey bag at the letter box. She later went downstairs to move it and met Ms Bondin, who offered to help her carry the bag. Ms Grima refused the help. She looked into the bag and saw what looked like a battery. She then moved the bag in the direction of the garage of her son’s home, which was still under construction. Moments later, the bomb went off.
Mr Azzopardi is serving a 20-year jail term for the 2003 attempted murder of Jonathan Spiteri, in a revenge attack after the brother of the victim, Melchior Spiteri, killed Mr Azzopardi’s sibling, Jason.
Melchior Spiteri was jailed for 30 years.
Joe Grima appeared for Mr Azzopardi.