“I saw red”; this was what Raymond Camilleri, from Zurrieq, told the police in a statement the day after he showed up at the Zurrieq police station on 6 October 1999 where police said he admitted killing Christopher Camilleri.

The statement was read out yesterday during the trial by jury of Raymond Camilleri, 43, who is accused of killing Christopher Camilleri, 24, from Zejtun, and of unlawfully carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime. The two were not related.

Police Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo, who at the time was inspector within the Criminal Investigations Department, read out a statement released by the accused during his testimony.

According to the statement, the accused admitted shooting at Christopher Camilleri following an argument the two had after the accused bumped into the victim’s car while parking. The cars were parked in front of the accused’s residence.

The accused said the victim was very aggressive towards him, even punching him in the face and threatening him that he would burn his car. Things got out of hand as matters heated up and the accused said he “saw red” and shot at the man. He said he had thought he missed the man and shot at him once more after moving towards him.

At the time, the accused was asked whether he was aware of the consequences of a gunshot exploding from a distance of 15 feet, to which he answered that he knew that a hole could be made right through the body of a man.

It was also pointed out that the accused disliked people parking in front of his house as he needed space in order to man the van he used for his part-time job as a greengrocer.

Superintendent Bartolo testified that the investigating team found two empty cartridges in the street, one near the ramp leading to the accused’s garage and the other one in the middle of the road, as well as blood traces and human tissues. He said that only one wad was found on site; the other was found inside the victim’s body during the autopsy. His team searched the accused’s house, where they found a shotgun and a cartridge belt with two cartridges missing.

The officer said a health centre doctor certified Christopher Camilleri’s death.

He also testified that the victim and his girlfriend, Carmen Portelli Bouvet, who lives in an apartment right across from the accused, had an argument which was only settled after the police were called in.

Superintendent Bartolo said Ms Portelli Bouvet told him that the victim had just left her apartment and heard him crying “you don’t push my car” (il-karozza ma timbuttahilix) from outside. At first she thought he was shouting at her, however, she first heard a shot then looked outside of the block’s common area, where she saw Raymond Camilleri branding a shotgun. She asked him not to shoot her boyfriend, however, he shot him again and left him lying on the pavement.

Sergeant Saviour Cacciattolo, who was on duty on the night, testified that before 10pm he was informed that there was a woman clad only in a nightdress in Fortunato Dalli Street, corner with Independence Avenue.

The sergeant, accompanied by a constable found an agitated Carmen Portelli Bouvet who told the police that she left her home after she had an argument with her boyfriend who had had some alcohol, but was not drunk. The sergeant testified that the man neither had slurred speech nor moved in an awkward way.

She asked the police to convince the man to leave her apartment. Sergeant Cacciattolo testified that Mr Camilleri was quite arrogant with the police and asked the police whether they had a warrant. It took them around 45 minutes to convince the man to leave the apartment.

The sergeant said there were several overturned things in the apartment. He also testified that the woman had reported the man twice before of insulting and threatening her as well as with domestic violence.

The man was asked to hand over the apartment keys to Ms Portelli Bouvet, who also told the police that around Lm50 as well as some keys went missing. The police searched him and did not find the money and showed the woman his keys in order to take away the apartment’s keys.

Sergeant Cacciattolo said the man left the apartment and saw him drive towards Safi.

He testified that around 10.45pm he received an anonymous call that shots were heard at Independence Avenue, Zurrieq. A few minutes later Raymond Camilleri showed up at the police station and told the police that he shot at someone.

Upon reaching the scene of crime, he found Ms Portelli Bouvet on what seemed to be Christopher Camilleri’s lifeless body and took her away.

Upon returning to the apartment after the shooting, he noticed further things upturned in the apartment hall. The woman told him that the man had returned and used other keys in order to enter her apartment.

Police Superintendent Lawrence Cutajar, who was Zurrieq district inspector at the time, said he received a call around 11pm he about a man who showed up at the Zurrieq police station saying that he killed someone.

The accused, who had a wound on his right cheek bone, was despairing about his future and also about his family’s fate. When asked about the wound, Mr Camilleri said it was caused by a punch he received from the man he had an argument with.

He testified that he did not know the victim or the accused in the year and a half he spent as inspector before the incident.

The session carried on with the testimony of court experts appointed by duty magistrate Noel Cuschieri.

Assistant Attorney General Arthur Azzopardi led the prosecution while lawyers Emanuel Mallia and Giannella Caruana Curran appeared for the accused. Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo presided over the court.

The trial continues this morning.