The money a man accused of murdering his former girlfriend allegedly owes to her family was given to him by her father “to help get me back on my feet,” the man testified in court today.

Kenneth Gafà, a 42-year-old from Marsa, who stands accused of murdering Christina Sammut in Żebbiegħ in December 2010 and is awaiting a trial by jury, was testifying in a civil suit instituted by her family over an alleged debt of €11,800. Mr Gafà is also separately charged with defrauding Ms Sammut’s father Lino, who died in August 2012, of the money owed.

Mr Sammut and his daughter had filed a report about the case in June 2010.

During criminal proceedings against Mr Gafà, Mr Sammut’s son James had testified that Mr Gafà had cut all contact with his father as soon as he received the money, but Mr Gafà now provided a different version of events.

He claimed that the late Mr Sammut had given him €6,000 to help buy a rabbit farm in Magħtab and told him not to bring the matter up with his children.

Mr Gafà said that he was the only one who was taking care of Mr Sammut, who had cancer, at the time, and also insisted that the money was a gift.

But Mr Gafà said that the deal to acquire the rabbit farm fell through, as its owner had received EU funds and was thus unable to sell off the farm for some time. However, he added, Mr Sammut insisted that he keep the money and do something else with him.

He explained his disappearance by saying that he decided to move to Germany since his relationship with Ms Sammut – “may God forgive her,” he said – had fallen apart.

But while he was in Germany, he said, he received many calls from her brothers James and Joseph, claiming that these included threats against his family.

Mr Gafà said that Ms Sammut also called him, insisting that she wanted him back, and that at some point, they agreed that she would visit him in Germany.

“I had low self-esteem, and I went back,” he added.

Mr Gafà said that when he returned to Malta, the Sammuts coerced him into signing a contract before a notary, and insisted that in the face of the threats he was receiving, he had no choice but to sign. He said that he had even filed police reports over these threats.

Asked by his lawyer Joe Ellis why this contract was for €11,800, and not the €6,000 he claims he was given, Mr Gafà said that James Sammut was also demanding interest on that sum. He said that James and Lino Sammut were present when the contract was signed

Mr Gafà also said that under the terms of this contract, he was set to start making repayments on January 2011.

“But I was arrested in December, and spent three years in preventive custody,” he explained.

 

In response to another question by Dr Ellis, Mr Gafà also said that he left many objects – including some €6,000 in cash – in Ms Sammut’s apartment, and that he never sought to collect them nor intended to.