The police still do not know the motive behind the attempt to kill a man as he sat in his car in Msida in April, the lead investigator testified yesterday.
Vincent Muscat, also known as Il-Koħħu, was shot three times in the head at about 11.30pm on April 8 and then, badly injured, managed to drive to the nearby police station to ask for help.
Taking the witness stand yesterday, Police Inspector Keith Arnaud said the reason for the attack still had to surface even though the victim had named his shooter as Jonathan Pace, 31, from Gudja.
The police also managed to confirm the name of the suspect through independent investigation, he said.
Mr Pace, owner of Tyson Butcher, now stands charged with trying to kill 52-year-old Mr Muscat, firing a gun in an inhabited area, causing damage and not having a licence for the gun.
He is pleading not guilty.
Mr Muscat has another pending case against him in which he is pleading not guilty to being involved in the failed heist on the HSBC bank headquarters in 2010.
Inspector Arnaud said the victim had been reluctant to name his aggressor while in hospital but as the investigation progressed he gave them Mr Pace’s name.
CCTV footage of the shooting showed that the would-be killer was driving a silver Peugeot 207, which was later found burnt.
The car had a radio aerial missing, a black side mirror and one black door.
Given these distinctive features, they narrowed down the search to a car hire company that had rented the vehicle to a John Pace. The name and one of the mobile phone numbers given turned out to be fake but a second phone number belonged to the accused.
In yesterday’s proceedings, Mr Muscat was meant to testify but had been taken ill and was in hospital. It is the second time this has happened.
The first time, Magistrate Carol Peralta had ordered the next hearing to be held at the man’s home.
That was disputed but the upper court has now cleared the move and the magistrate issued the order final yesterday.
He told the inspector to make the necessary security arrangements to have Mr Muscat’s testimony heard at his home.
The case continues.