A magistrate ruled yesterday that there were sufficient reasons for a bill of indictment to be issued against Melchior Spiteri who is facing criminal proceedings for the murder of an Italian chef, Vittorio Cassone, at his shop in St Julian’s in January 1993.

In her ruling, magistrate Miriam Hayman explained that a Magistrates’ Court, as a court which deals with the collection of evidence, has to determine whether there was “a probable presumption of guilt”. She said that was why the Magistrates’ Court rules that there are sufficient reasons for a bill of indictment to be issued against a person accused of a crime.

In her ruling, magistrate Hayman stressed that she was not drawing any conclusions or making any judgement but was merely ruling that, after hearing the evidence brought to court so far, she had arrived at the conclusion that there were sufficient grounds for the case to go on to another stage for

further judicial scrutiny.

Melchior Spiteri, 31, from Cospicua, stands charged with the murder of the Italian chef in his shop in St Julian’s on 13 January 1993 at 6.30pm.

He is also charged with armed robbery, holding Mr Cassone and other people against their will and with stealing money and items from the shop. Spiteri is also charged with possession of a firearm without a licence, with firing the weapon in a residential area and with relapsing.

Police Inspector Chris Pullicino is prosecuting. Dr Franco Debono is appearing for the defence while Dr Bernard Grech is appeared parte civile for the Cassone family.