[attach id=278105 size="medium"]Jeweller Francesco Zampa with his bullet-grazed cheek. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier[/attach]

A man charged with murdering three men yesterday told a court he was not involved with a botched hold-up in which a 79-year-old jeweller managed to fight off his aggressors.

“I have absolutely nothing to do with it,” Jason Galea, 39, of Birżebbuġa, said when he was asked by Magistrate Carol Peralta to confirm his not-guilty plea after his co-accused admitted to the crime.

The case revolves around a failed hold-up in which three men tried to steal from Frank Zampa Jewellery in St Lucia Street, Valletta, on September 18, 2010.

Francesco Zampa, a former top waterpolo player, fought off the three robbers and was injured in the scuffle when a bullet grazed his cheek after a revolver went off at close range.

Michael Zahra, 42, of Valletta, has pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery and the third man, Marcus John Calleja, 37, of Balzan, is already serving a three-year prison sentence after admitting his involvement when the case first went to court in 2010.

Yesterday, Magistrate Peralta said he had inherited the case from another magistrate and it looked like it had been dragging on for some time.

He noted Mr Zahra had admitted the charges and, after Mr Galea denied his involvement, ordered that their case be split and the two tried separately.

Mr Galea also faces two murder cases. He stands charged with killing convicted drug trafficker Mario Camilleri, also known as L-Imnieħru, and his 21-year-old son Mario Jr in July.

He and another man, George Galea, 41, of St Julian’s, are pleading not guilty to the murders.

In another case, Mr Galea and a Ronald Urry, 49, of Birżebbuġa, have denied murdering 27-year-old Matthew Zahra in August last year.