Two officers charged with the involuntary homicide of Gunner Matthew Psaila were responsible for the training exercise in which the young soldier died but not for the clothing and equipment he was wearing at the time.

Police Inspector Robert Vella, the latest witness in the year-old criminal case, said yesterday Lieutenant Christian Vella and Lance Bombardier Marvic Peregin were the officers in charge but were not responsible for the soldier’s kits.

Lt Vella’s defence lawyer, Joe Giglio, noted while cross examining the police officer he had established the two officers were not responsible for the gear the soldiers had during the training exercise on that ill-fated day of February 13, 2009 at Chadwick Lakes.

The lawyer did not elaborate, however, that in a sitting last June, a first aider, Johann Cachia, had commented that the army boots were made of leather and retained water, meaning that, when wading through water, they became heavier than other boots that drained the water if submerged.

The police inspector said the accused had not designed the exercise carried out on the day but were simply in charge for overseeing its execution.

The men stand charged with the involuntary homicide of Gunner Psaila through negligence. The 19-year-old soldier died from hypothermia after finding himself in difficulty while wading through very cold and murky water beneath a bridge.

Police Inspector Vella said on the day in question officers from the Mosta police station were already on the scene when he took over the investigation. The soldiers were there for what is known as a route march and were split into two groups of 10 and one of nine, Gunner Psaila being in the first group, that went into the water.

The witness said at one point “panic broke out” and a head count was taken. That was when Gunner Psaila was found to be missing, prompting a search. He was pulled out of the water a few minutes later and rushed away in an army Land Rover, which met an ambulance half way. He died in hospital on February 16.

Police Inspector Joseph Agius prosecuted.

Lawyers Michael and Jacqueline Tanti Dougall and Mark Simiana appeared parte civile.