The daughter of a man accused of trying to kill her husband told a court yesterday how her husband blocked her father’s van, got out of his own van, grabbed her father by the neck and dragged him out of the car. Her husband was stabbed in the fight that ensued.

Susan Caruana took the stand yesterday in the case against her father, Innocenzio Farrugia, 59, who is accused of trying to kill Joseph Caruana on 4 May in Gudja.

Mrs Caruana claimed she had seen a closed pen-knife in her husband’s hand when he approached her father, although she went on to say that once the fight actually started, she did not see anything because she was trying to get help.

Mr Caruana, who was stabbed in the area of his left ear, also testified at yesterday’s sitting. He told the court how he and his father-in-law are now on good terms, as though nothing had ever happened, and he believes he struck him during the fight with no intention of killing him.

Mr Caruana admitted he had blocked Mr Farrugia’s van in the road and got out of his own van. He insisted he was not carrying a pen-knife on the day of the incident, despite his wife and the accused claiming he had, in fact, been wielding one.

When asked where he had been injured, Mr Caruana said Mr Farrugia had struck him in the struggle, but he was unwilling to pin the blame on his father-in-law.

Both Mr Caruana and his wife explained that the incident occurred after she had left their marital home because she had seen her husband talking to another woman.

At the end of the sitting, presiding magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona ruled that sufficient prima facie evidence had been presented for a bill of indictment to be drawn up against Mr Caruana.

The magistrate upheld a request for his order of house arrest to be lifted.

As the sitting ended, Mr Caruana and Mr Farrugia were seen walking out of court together chatting, which seemed to confirm what the victim had said earlier in the courtroom – that the two of them now actually get along.

The case continues.

Inspector Joseph Agius prosecuted. Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr Ian Farrugia appeared for the accused while Dr Franco Debono appeared parte civile for the victim.