A magistrate yesterday appointed a court expert to examine conflicting medical reports about the injuries suffered by the director general of the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU in an attack last year.

Sandro Chetcuti, 38, a former GRTU council member, is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Vince Farrugia at his office in March 2010.

In yesterday’s sitting, the Attorney General asked consultant radiologist Anthony Samuel to re-testify and elaborate on the conclusions in his report.

This request was met with fierce opposition from the defence counsel, Emmanuel Mallia and Edward Gatt, who said he could not testify again especially since he was not a court-appointed expert but a prosecution and parte civile witness.

The Attorney General had asked the court to listen to Dr Samuel, to explain his previously exhibited report in more detail, in particular the results of a three-phase bone scan taken 11 days after the incident and how he associated rib fractures with the incident.

The examination is salient in light of evidence given in the last sitting by court-appointed forensic pathologist Mario Scerri, when he contradicted Dr Samuel’s testimony and insisted Mr Farrugia did not suffer any fractures.

Dislocated ribs were not classified as serious but as slight injuries, Dr Scerri said before casting further doubt as to whether such injuries were the result of the actual incident, saying they could have been caused by a strong cough.

After listening to submissions on whether or not Dr Samuel should testify, Magistrate Edwina Grima decreed that Dr Samuel would not testify during the yesterday’s sitting and instead appointed radiologist Malcolm Crockford to examine both reports drawn up by the two doctors including the results of any tests, and to report back to the court.

The case continues.

Lawyer Kris Busietta and Jean Carl Farrugia represented Mr Farrugia.