Police at the scene of the alleged murder in Pembroke in December 2007. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

A watchman standing trial for murdering his ex-wife’s partner said he prayed for the man before and after he shot him soon after Sunday Mass in Pembroke six years ago.

Martino Gatt told police he stopped at St Dominic’s Church in Rabat and then at Girgenti in Siġġiewi to pray for Louis Ellul and then went to have a beer in a Siġġiewi bar. This was where the police arrested him.

Police Superintendent Silvio Valletta told jurors – eight men and one woman – that in a statement released to the police hours after the alleged crime, Mr Gatt said he did not go to Mass that Sunday as he felt it was “not appropriate”.

The superintendent was testifying in the trial by jury of Mr Gatt, 65, who is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Ellul, the partner of his estranged wife Joanne Bajada, by shooting him after Sunday Mass in Pembroke on December 2, 2007, at about 11.30am.

He is also charged with slightly injuring a 14-year-old girl who was hit by pellets, the illegal possession of a firearm and with firing the weapon in a public area.

In a rare occurrence, Mr Gatt chose not to be represented by a lawyer but to defend himself. However, Mr Justice Michael Mallia ordered legal aid lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace to remain on standby in case the accused changed his mind.

Mr Valletta said when he went on site he found Mr Ellul lying in a pool of blood near the public garden.

Officers already at the scene directed him to Ms Bajada who was in shock and being examined by a doctor.

She said they had decided to go to Mass late that day as they were going out for a picnic.

After Mass, as she, her children and her partner walked to the car, her ex-husband fired three shots at the man.

He then turned to her and said: “You brought this about. Take care of the children.”

After speaking to Ms Bajada, Mr Valletta went back near the body and found that a 14-year-old girl had also been hit by the pellets.

The police found a rental car being used by Mr Gatt in Siġġiewi. Inside were the gun and some statues.

The suspect was arrested and taken to police headquarters. He told the police that he and his wife, with whom he had two children, had been separated for three years but he had caught her with Mr Ellul before that. His wife eventually went to live with Mr Ellul and took the children.

In his statement Mr Gatt said he worked as a watchman. On the morning of the incident he went home after work and made tea and toast. He woke up at about 9am and did not go to Mass as usual as he felt it was not appropriate.

Thoughts started racing through his mind – that Mr Ellul had taken his wife and would now take his children away too.

He got into his rental car, drove around and stopped in Baħar iċ-Cagħaq to load his shotgun. He then arrived outside his wife’s house in Pembroke where, he said, he went to see the children.

No one was at home so he went to wait outside the Pembroke church, stopping on the way to buy a drink and biscuits while he waited for Mass to end.

You brought this about. Take care of the children

Mr Gatt said in his statement that he wanted to give the set of statues, found in his car, to his son. He also wanted to tell Mr Ellul that he had gone off with his wife and should not take his children away from him.

He took his gun along to defend himself, he said – he was scared of Mr Ellul who had threatened him in the past.

When they walked out of church he saw Mr Ellul shout at his children. He grabbed the gun and covered it with a cloth which, however, fell off.

He walked up to Mr Ellul and told him to stop because he wanted to talk to him.

When Mr Ellul saw the gun, he ran and Mr Gatt fired a shot.

He then turned to his wife and told her it was her fault and that she should take care of the children.

Mr Gatt told the police he did not know how many times he shot Mr Ellul and did not recall hitting anyone else.

After the shooting he stopped at St Dominic church and Girgenti before going to the bar.

Mr Gatt, who is defending himself, was then asked if he had any cross-examination questions for the witness.

With case documents in hand – which he carried in a worn-out paper bag – he said he had been made to release the statement.

The judge told him this was an allegation he would have to prove.

Mr Gatt said he did not have a lawyer and the judge pointed out that this was his choice and he had been warned it would not be a good idea.

The trial continues.

Lawyer Lara Lanfranco, from the Attorney General’s office, is prosecuting with the assistance of lawyer Nadia Camilleri.