A home-made bomb which killed a woman and injured another in Zejtun in 2005 had a firing switch attached to a radio receiver similar to the type used on remote control cars. One kilogram of explosive material was contained inside a small fire extinguisher and bullets were also include to increase potency.

The details were given in court this morning by explosives experts Col (Rtd) Albert Camilleri during the continuation of the trial of Ronnie Azzopardi, who is pleading not guilty to the murder of Angela Bondin and the serious injury of Tessie Grima.

The prosecution says the two were innocent bystanders, with the bomb having been destined for the sister-in-law of the accused and her children following an argument over inheritance.

Col Camilleri, assisted by Captain Jeffrey Curmi, said the victims had suffered burns from a fireball caused by the explosion. 

The bomb, in a garbage bag, was placed in Madonna tal-Ħniena Street, Żejtun on June 18, 2005, in front of Ms Grima’s house. Thinking it was garbage, she placed it somewhere else for collection on another day. Ms Bondin happened to stop by to speak to Ms Grima as the bomb went off. Ms Bondin died three weeks later from her injuries.

Mr Azzopardi is currently serving a 20-year jail term for trying to kill the brother of Melchior Spiteri, the man who had killed his brother Jason. Mr Spiteri is currently serving a 30-year jail term for that murder.

On Monday jurors were shown CCTV stills of the car used by the accused as it was driven past the HSBC bank in Żejtun on the day of the explosion.

The prosecution pointed out that the car in the pictures had a white sticker across the top of the windshield. The sticker read: “Struggle for survival”.

However, when the accused was asked to take the car to police headquarters, it had been cleaned and the sticker had been removed.

It was only after the forensic team used fingerprint dust on the windshield that the remnants of the sticker glue emerged together with the shape of the letters.

The trial continues.