A motorcycle used in the attempted murder of businessman Joe Baldacchino on Tuesday was found in the sea off the fishmarket in Grand Harbour late this afternoon.

The Piaggio motorcycle was stolen from Marsa a month ago.

An eyewitness to the shooting had said that seconds before being shot in the back by a motorcyclist, Mr Baldacchino had alerted his aggressor to the fact that his bike’s number plate had fallen off.

“The motorcyclist, who was wearing a dark helmet, nodded when Mr Baldacchino told him about the number plate... He then drove up to him, unzipped his jacket, produced a largish silver-coloured gun and shot him in the back,” the witness told The Times.

The 51-year-old victim started screaming in pain, then ran up the road and hid between some cars there. He was chased by the motorcyclist who drove away from the scene soon after, the witness recounted.

Mr Baldacchino remains in intensive care in hospital while the police have questioned a number of persons as part of their investigation.

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