These were words quoted by inspector Anglu Caruana who was testifying in the case against Vella who is being accused of complicity in the murder of Ms Attard who was found shot dead in her van on 14 February this year.

Insp. Caruana said that while being questioned by police, Vella, also known as il-Gagu, confirmed that Grech, a driver who is being charged with Ms Attard’s murder, offered him Lm10,000 to help him kill a woman.

In the statement to police read out by Insp. Caruana, Vella said that in 2003, around Christmas time, Grech mentioned killing a woman but he initially refused. It was Grech who suggested shooting her, Insp. Caruana said, quoting from the accused’s statement.

Il-Gagu had also said it was Ms Attard’s husband who would pay them for the murder. When he agreed to help Grech, Vella said he did not want weapons involved and suggested pushing Ms Attard off a block of flats in San Gwann.

Fearing people would see them, the men decided Grech would push her off the cliffs at Ahrax tal-Mellieha, while Vella waited in the car. They lured her to the cliffs by claiming a boat of illegal immigrants was coming in to Malta. This was the first attempt on Ms Attard life that failed because she did not peer over the cliffs enough, Vella had said.