Rapid Intervention Unit officers today described the moments leading up to the arrest of a man who allegedly pointed a gun at them during a scuffle, and pulled the trigger.

The three Rapid Intervention Unit officers were the ones who arrested 22-year-old Albanian Daniel Muka, who stands charged with the attempted murder of RIU officers when he pulled the trigger of a gun, which malfunctioned, violently resisting arrest, threatening the officers, possession of cocaine and being in possession of a firearm. Muka previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and is in custody.

Muka is one of two Albanians who was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the robbery that took place in a Sliema jewellery shop on 5 October.

The sergeant was the first to take the stand. He was in his car with his partner, when they received a request for assistance by an RIU constable down the road from Baystreet.

He said that he and his partner pulled up, and that the constable identified a man sitting on the outside of a bar, back to the wall in a corner with a view of all around sitting with a friend, as being a person wanted in connection with the Sliema jewellery robbery a week earlier. He said he parked the car in front of the establishment and his partner got out. The two constables (one being his partner), he said, walked towards the man in question.

He said that the accused was sitting down and drinking. He noted that the accused became aggressive when the constables approached. He said that he saw the accused head-butt one of the officers, and also put his hand behind his back and pulled out a gun, and pulled the trigger, trying to fire at both constables.

He explained that before the accused pulled out the gun, he (the sergeant) had already exited the vehicle and was on his way to the accused. The sergeant yelled “gun”.

The sergeant joined the scuffle between the accused with the gun, as well as the two officers, with all four men failling to the ground. He said the accused kept pointing the gun at them while they were trying to pin him, and pulling the trigger. He said that the accused also tried, with his other hand, to pull something out of his pocket. One of the constables managed to pull out a taser and tased the accused, which is when he finally let go of the gun, the sergeant told the court.

After he was arrested, the sergeant said he asked the accused why he had a weapon. “Because I knew you were looking for me and I wanted to end this,” was what the accuse said according to the Sergeant.

Later, when searched at the Police Headquarters, they found bullets in his pocket.

He said his two colleagues suffered slight injuries in the scuffle, and that the accused had blood on his ear.

“Up till today I can still hear the trigger being pulled.”

The two constables also testified.

One of the constables said that he was patrolling near Baystreet, and noted the man sitting down, recognising him as a wanted person. He said that while he and the constable who came as backup approached the accused, he stood up and became aggressive. He made clear that the accused could tell they were police officers and were in uniform. The two officers tried to grab his hands, however he struggled. He said he heard the gun trigger being pulled multiple times. He said the gun was pointed directly at the officers.

He made clear that the accused’s friend never resisted.

He mentioned that the accused, when asked by the sergeant why he had a gun, told them something along the lines that it was to defend himself from us. He did not remember the exact words used by the accused as he was under shock.

The third officer, another constable, was the officer who tased the accused when on the floor. He mentioned that the accused, during the initial struggle when standing, had pointed the gun at their heads. He said that after the commotion, he had picked up the gun, and gave it to the inspector who arrived minutes later.

Cross examined the constable said that the accused head-butt him and someone else. He said that he has had training with guns, but was unable to say if the gun used by the accused was a revolver or a pistol, and was unable to describe the difference between the two types of guns.

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace presiding. Inspector Mark Mercieca and Carlos Cordina prosecuting, Lawyers Noel Bianco and Jason Grima appearing for the accused.

The case continues on 30 October.