Updated 12.05pm

The 42-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his mother and aunt to death in Għargħur earlier this week is to be arraigned in court on Wednesday afternoon.

As of Tuesday evening, the man, who gave himself up to the police early Monday morning, had not yet been interrogated as he was still receiving treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital, police sources said.

But in a statement issued at noon on Wednesday, police said they would be arraigning the double murder suspect in court at 12.30pm that day.  

The suspect was arrested at the scene of the crime and was taken to receive psychiatric care, because he was “very agitated” when police arrived.

“In cases like this, the police have to be extremely careful and cautious. Prior to even approaching the aggressor, they require the green light of medical professionals assessing a suspect’s condition.”

The double murder occurred in Triq Fidiel Zarb, a quiet street in Għargħur, at about 6am on Monday.

Watch: Man stabs mother, aunt to death in Għargħur

The 42-year-old allegedly attacked his aunt, 74, after confronting her about concerns she could have been slipping medication into his morning coffee.

The altercation took place in a washroom in the man’s home. His mother, 71, intervened in an attempt to calm the situation, but the sources said preliminary investigations indicated the row appeared to have got out of hand when the man brought a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the two women with it.

The aunt died at the scene and the suspect’s mother succumbed to her injuries a few hours later at Mater Dei Hospital.

The Times of Malta reported on Tuesday that it was the suspect himself who, just a few minutes after the incident, called the police to report what had happened.

In fact, when officers arrived, he opened the front door to let them in.

The man, the sources said, appeared shaken and was wearing bloodstained clothes.