A man insisted yesterday the money given to him by the father of the woman he is accused of killing was “a gift” because he was the only one who took care of him before he passed away.

Kenneth Gafá, 42, from Marsa, is awaiting a trial by jury for the murder of his former girlfriend, Christina Sammut, in December 2010. He opted to testify before Magistrate Marseann Farrugia in a civil case instituted against him by Ms Sammut’s brothers, James and Joseph, who are demanding a refund of the €11,500 given to him by their father.

Mr Gafá said the money, which he insisted amounted to €6,000, was given to him by Lino Sammut to help him set up his own business. He told the court Mr Sammut had taken him to a rabbit farm in Magħtab for a possible takeover but the owner said he could not sell it because he had benefited from EU funds.

According to Mr Gafá, Mr Sammut had told him to keep the money and do whatever he wanted with it.

Subsequently, he went to Germany to get away from problems he was having with Ms Sammut. However, some time later, he started receiving calls from her and her brothers, who had learnt about the money given to him and wanted it back.

He said he often received threatening phone calls, laden with swearing. He claimed he had been warned that even if he remained in Germany, his family was still in Malta. He said that when he returned to Malta in October 2010, he accepted to go to a notary with Mr Sammut and one of the brothers, Joseph.

There he signed a contract about the €11,500 he owed them.

He said he had accepted to sign because he was “pressured” and felt threatened and also because he wanted to protect his family.

He was meant to start paying the money back in January 2011 but then, in December 2010, he was arrested over the murder of Ms Sammut.

Throughout his testimony, whenever he mentioned Ms Sammut, he would add Alla jaħfrilha (God bless her soul).

Mr Sammut, he testified, had prostate cancer, as well as other health complications and had passed away.

Ms Sammut was shot dead while sitting in a car on December 10, 2010.

Mr Gafà told the police he had never meant to hurt her but only scare her when he fired a shotgun at her.

The case continues.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis appeared for Mr Gafá.