Ronnie Azzopardi, 41 of Cospicua, was this afternoon jailed for life after a jury cleared him of murder of Angela Bondin, who was killed when a bomb blew up in Zejtun on June 18, 2005.

He was found guilty, by seven votes against two, of causing Ms Bondin a grievous injury that led to her death.

The jurors, who reached their verdict after seven hours of deliberation, found Mr Azzopardi guilty by seven votes against two, of seriously injuring Tessie Grima and trying to kill his sister-in-law and her sons.

Angela Bondin, 48 and her friend Tessie Grima had been innocent victims, chatting in the street when the bomb went off. They had earlier moved a garbage bag containing the bomb away from the street because it was too early for the garbage collector to call.

The prosecution alleged that the bomb was intended for Mr Azzopardi's sister-in-law and her children, with whom he was in dispute over the inheritance of his brother.