A jilted lover accused of murdering his former girlfriend complained yesterday that although he had been granted bail he could not afford the deposit.

Through his lawyers Giannella de Marco and Steve Tonna Lowell, ­Kenneth Gafà, 39, from Marsa, said case law showed that, once granted bail, the release had to be effective.

Mr Gafà was granted bail in August against a deposit of €14,000 and a personal guarantee of €25,000 after being held in custody since the murder of Christina Sammut, 40, in December 2010 in Żebbiegħ.

She was shot in the neck and chest as she sat in the driver’s seat of her van.

Dr de Marco said her client had only been granted bail because the 20-month legal time limit had elapsed and had since spent another four months under arrest.

Pauline Fabri, a friend of the deceased, testified that she had received a phone call from Mr Gafà who said he wanted to speak to her. However, she did not wish to get involved.

The magistrate accepted a request by the defence not to have Mr Gafà’s medical file exhibited, saying the court was not empowered by law to do so.

The case continues.