The man accused of the fatal shooting of bank messenger Alphonse Ferrigi outside the Bank of Valletta branch in San Gwann, told a court today that he was not on the site when the shooting took place. He admitted, however, that he had bragged about having committed the murder, because he was threatened to do so.
Richard Grech, 44 of Qormi, admitted to having planned to accompany James Vella, Chris Scerri and getaway driver Joseph Zammit to the bank.
At the time, he said, he was suffering from an acute drug problem and was a heavy drinker, drinking from morning to evening. A bottle of wine would last him two to three minutes.
One day, James Vella mentioned to him how a messenger used to turn up at the bank to deliver bags, and he wanted to take them.
Vella, Scerri and himself decide to commit a hold-up and they also asked Zammit to join them because he was a good driver.
The plan was to go up to the man, grab the bags and go. No one ever spoke about taking a gun.
Grech said that James Vella was the mastermind of the plan.
They went to the scene in two cars - one stolen and one rented. However, Grech said, while they were still on their way, he became uncomfortable because he was addicted to alcohol and could not stay without it. He therefore got out of the car and went home in nearby Mensija, (San Gwann) because he wanted to get drunk. He also took some pills.
At about 9 a.m. went to Qormi and heard about the crime.
He later asked Vella what had happened and he told him that Chris Scerri had fired the gun.
He had asked him where he got the gun from, but was not given a reply.
Grech said he always felt bad about what had happened because nobody should be killed for money, let alone for documents.
Mr Grech said he had bragged about the killing order to feel a little proud because he was drunk. Vella had also warned him that if police investigations closed in, he was to say that he had fired the shot. Vella had also threatened him, his wife and children.
During the sitting, Aaron Bugeja, prosecuting, read out Grech's criminal record where he had crimes between the late 1980s to 2002 for everything from animal cruelty to the involuntary homicide of Dirk Fenech as well as several cases of drug possession.