Two men sharing an apartment with another came to blows on 12 November at about 7am with one of them hitting out with a knife and ending being arraigned in court yesterday, charged with attempted murder.

Neil Andrew Vella, 37 of Birkirkara, is accused with trying to kill Sandro Mifsud. The accused told the police he was afraid of the victim, who totally controlled his life.

Inspector Elton Taliana testified that the dispute was over money. The victim had gone for the accused with a pair of scissors. The inspector said he had been informed of an incident and when he arrived on site there were policemen present. There was also Fabian Sciriha, who shared the apartment with the accused and his victim.

There were blood stains all over the apartment and in Sandro Mifsud’s room a number of women’s handbags were found. The accused and his victim shared the same bedroom.

Fabian Sciriha told the police an argument had broken out between the two when Sandro Mifsud claimed that Vella had stolen money from his wallet. €45 were reported missing. The two came to blows with Vella lashing out with a knife, mainly at Mifsud’s side. Inspector Taliana said Sciriha told him that Vella was stabbing Mifsud with animosity.

The accused and his victim at first gave different versions about what had happened. They claimed at first that someone had entered their room and assaulted Mifsud, who said someone had assaulted him as he slept.

Vella later admitted he had hit out with a knife. He and the victim were good friends and knew each other from prison. He had been living with Mifsud for some months and everything went well in the first two months. Vella said he had nowhere else to sleep and after some time Mifsud started controlling him.

Vella said that three days before their quarrel, Mifsud had told him he had a pistol and he was prepared to empty it into his head. Mifsud had sent him out to buy tobacco and found €5 missing. He insisted that Vella should give the money back and, Vella said, he went out looking for the money all over Birkirkara, finally finding the note on the stairs of the apartment.

On the day of the quarrel, Mifsud started hitting him with a pair of scissors, and that had not been the first time he had done so. Mifsud had approached the wardrobe and, Vella said, he thought he was going to bring out the pistol.

Vella told Inspector Taliana he lost control and started stabbing Mifsud. The accused was treated cruelly, the inspector said, and Mifsud also kept for himself the money which Vella received as social assistance.

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In another case, which followed the attempted murder hearing, Sandro Mifsud’s girlfriend, Elaine Muscat, was arraigned on theft and prostitution charges, when CID Inspector Tony Cachia testified that on 30 May he had been informed by Msida police about a man identified as Edward Spiteri.

Spiteri was driving along The Strand in Gzira at about 2am when Elaine Muscat drew his attention, and he lowered his car window. Muscat offered sex at €20, he accepted and took her towards the yacht marina.

They left the car and sat on a bench. Spiteri said that at some time Muscat left the bench, saying she had forgotten something in the car. He later reported to the police that he had found €160 missing from the car.

Inspector Cachia said Muscat cooperated with the police. She told them she was at the yacht marina with Spiteri and they drove towards the Old Tree Pub.

She said she quarrelled with Spiteri because he did not want to use contraceptives. While lowering his pants he removed the money from his pocket and put it in the car’s ash tray. Muscat said she was on the back seat, but went to the front, took the money and fled. There had been €110, not €160.