The man accused of murdering his estranged wife and disposing of her lifeless body in a warehouse in Qormi last July today appeared in court for the continuation of the compilation of evidence.

Andrew Mangion, charged with the murder of his wife Eleanor Mangion Walker, sat calmly in the dock as Inspector Keith Arnaud showed the court two laptops, a PC tower and five pen drives retrieved by investigators from Mr Mangion's room.

The court, presided by magistrate Doreen Clarke, nominated IT expert Joseph Muscat to examine the devices and prepare a report on all information and correspondence recovered from them.

Both the defence and the prosecution agreed with this, and defence lawyer Joe Giglio also asked the court to widen the ambit of the report so as to include all data stored on any mobile phones belonging to the deceased. A soft copy of the IT expert's report covering all emails, conversations as well as chats on Facebook and other social media, was to be made available to both defence and prosecution.

The magistrate pointed out that during the compilation, no mobile phones had been exhibited in court. The prosecuting officer stated that Ms Mangion Walker's mobile was currently in the possession of forensic experts, who have yet to testify. Mr Mangion's mobile, the inspector explained, had never been found even though Mr Walker had personally accompanied the police to the spot where he said he had thrown away his phone.

The court authorised the appointed IT expert to take possession of any mobiles belonging to both the accused and the deceased, even those held by forensic experts, to draw up the requested report.

The court also decreed that Josephine and Beverly Walker, mother and younger sister of the victim respectively, were authorised to retrieve the keys of the Swieqi garage which belonged to Eleanor Walker and which had been retrieved by the investigators.

Lawyer Joe Giglio was defence counsel. Lawyer Michael Sciriha appeared parte civile. Inspector Keith Arnaud prosecuted.