The wife and children of murder victim Paul Degabriele, Is-Suldat, yesterday sued a Sunday newspaper for libel for describing him as a dangerous criminal.

Anna Marie, Nadeah and Ryan Degabriele said that the front page article of Il-Mument on June 16, two weeks after he was shot dead, had implicated him in high-profile murders over the past nine months.

The suit was filed against the paper’s editor, Roderick Agius.

Mr Degabriele, 48, of Fgura, was gunned down at about 11am outside Sammy’s Bar in Belt il-Ħazna Road, Marsa, on May 31 by an unknown man who escaped in a stolen white Nissan Vannette which was driven by an accomplice.

Mr Degabriele had just stepped out of the bar and was sitting in his Toyota pickup when he was shot three times in the head and twice in his upper body. A semi-automatic 9mm pistol was used, according to the police.

Last October, Mr Degabriele had reported to the police that a bomb had been placed under the Toyota. The device was safely detonated by ordnance experts.

Two months later he was among those questioned about the murder of Joseph Cutajar, known as Il-Lion, who was found dead in his car in Mosta a few hours after Josef Grech, 41, from Balzan, Il-Yo Yo, had been fatally shot in the head in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

Mr Degabriele had been released without being charged.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto appeared for the Degabriele family.

The case continues.