A man accused of murdering his former girlfriend insisted in court today that the money given to him by her father was a gift because he was the only one who cared for him before he died.

Kenneth Gafa, 42, from Marsa, is awaiting a trial by jury for the murder of his former girlfriend, Christina Sammut in December 2010.

He opted to testify before Magistrate Marseann Farrugia in a civil case instituted against him by Ms Sammut's brothers, James and Joseph, who are claiming that the €11,500 given to him by their father was to be returned.

But Mr Gafa said the money, which he insisted was €6,000, was given to him by Lino Sammut to help him set up his own business. He told the court that Mr Sammut had taken him to a rabbit farm in Maghtab but the owner said he could not sell it because he had benefited from EU funds.

According to Mr Gafa, Mr Sammut had told him to hang on to the money and do whatever he wanted with it.

He said he had gone to Germany, to get away from problems he was having with Ms Sammut, but some time later started receiving calls from her and her brothers who had discovered about the money. He said they threatened him and even warned him that even if he remained in Germany, his family were in Malta.

He said that when he returned to Malta in October 2010, he accepted to go to a notary with Mr Sammut and one of the brothers, Joseph, where he signed a contract about the €11,500 he owed them. He was meant to start paying the amount in January 2011.

However, he said that in December 2010, he was arrested over the murder of Ms Sammut "God bless her soul".

Mr Sammut, he said, had prostate cancer and other health complications and had passed away.

The case continues.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis appeared for Mr Gafa.