Sergii Nykytiuk, a 39-year-old man resident in St Paul's Bay, faces a jury today as he  stands trial for the murder of his Ukrainian wife Liudmyla, 35.

Mrs Nykytiuk died in November 2009.

During the compilation of evidence, the court was told that the woman died shortly after a massive argument with her husband, who, in a fit of rage and jealousy called her a prostitute and told his friend to have sex with her.

The woman died a slow death at the bottom of a shaft in the apartment block where she lived. She tore an artery following her fall down the shaft.

Mr Nykytiuk is pleading not guilty to killing the woman.

At the opening of the trial, Nadine Sant prosecuting lawyer from the Attorney General's Office,  said this was a story of a failed marriage and a jealous husband.

A month after arriving in Malta, he found out that that she loved someone else and began beating her up. She wanted to leave him. During a small party the accused met the person who she loved, and he lost it.

She told him in front of everyone that she didn’t love him anymore and he dragged her to the bathroom and hit her.

The victim made arrangements to leave the place and at around 1.30 am she went back to the flat to get her things. An argument broke out between them and she ran upstairs with him grabbing at her to the point that he even pulled her jeans down.

Dr Sant said the victim was still alive at the bottom of the lift shaft. She cried out for help, yet the accused went back to the flat, lit up a cigarette and opened a bottle of wine. He left the flat at 8.30 a.m. seven hours later. He only asked for help when she fell silent.

"You will see her body covered in the injuries he inflicted on her. How could someone abandon someone like that for all those hours?," the prosecutor asked.