The nine-year-old daughter of murder victim Eleanor Mangion Walker kept on hoping that her mother would walk through the door of their family home, a court heard today. 

Eleanor Mangion Walker's lifeless body was found in a Qormi warehouse on July 3 after a tipoff from Mr Mangion’s uncle Grezzju Micallef. Her estranged husband Andrew Mangion, 40, is pleading not guilty to murder.

During compilation of evidence today, prosecuting officer Kylie Borg told the court that Ms Walker’s daughter was vaguely aware of what was going on at the time her mother disappeared and her father was on the run from the police.

“As long as mummy did not die, I think I will see her. She will come at night, if I do not sleep I will see her,”  the young girl told the police, shortly before learning of her mother’s death.

Inspector Borg testified that Ms Mangion Walker’s daughter said her parents did not fight in front of her. 

The warehouse where the body was found.

The inspector said the murder suspect’s employer, Julian Grech told police that Mr Mangion said the relationship went downhill after his daughter was born. Mr Mangion claimed that his wife used to cheat on him with other men.

Mr Grech had recalled to the police how one time, Mr Mangion told him that he was ready to beat up his wife. 

He talked Mr Mangion out of doing anything rash. He advised him to leave his wife, and even recommended a lawyer to him.

He confirmed that Mr Mangion had the keys to the Qormi warehouse where the body was dumped.

Inspector Borg testified that the murder suspect said he did not want to leave his wife’s body in the hot warehouse but had intended to either burn it or throw it down a well.

During the interrogation Mr Mangion insisted that his wife was murdered in his Swieqi garage before his very eyes by two armed men. He feared the murder would be pinned on him, so decided to hide all the evidence and dispose of her body.

He told the police that he stopped loving his wife around two years ago. He wanted to leave the matrimonial home, as he could not even stand hugging his wife anymore due to her cheating on him.

At the end of the sitting, Magistrate Doreen Clarke was asked to rule on a request by the murder suspect’s uncle to be exempted from testifying in court. 

Asked why he did not wish to testify, Mr Mangion’s uncle said he had already given his version of events to the police “six times”.

A ruling is expected during the next sitting on September 1.

Lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for the accused while lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha are parte civile.

Inspectors Keith Arnaud and Kylie Borg are prosecuting.