The man charged with the murder of a man in Pembroke on 2 December told police that after shooting his estranged wife’s partner he left for Girgenti and Rabat, where he prayed for his former wife, their children and the victim, before going to drink beer in Siggiewi.

This emerged from the testimony given by Police Inspector Chris Pullicino during the compilation of evidence against Martin Gatt, 59, from Mosta and residing in St Paul’s Bay.

He has been charged with the murder of his estranged wife’s partner, slightly injuring a 14-year-old bystander, as well as carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime and firing shots in a public place

Before magistrate Saviour Demicoli, the inspector gave an account of the police investigations carried out by him and Police Inspector Silvio Valletta.

According to Inspector Pullicino, the body of 34-year-old Louis Ellul, from St Paul’s Bay, was found lying in a pool of blood on the pavement near his car in Camillo Sciberras Street, Pembroke; a sloped road that connects the Risen Christ parish church to a playing field.

The police also found three cartridges in a garden close to the pavement.

In his statement to the police, Mr Gatt said that on the day he did not feel like going to church as he was beset by thoughts of Mr Ellul preventing him from seeing his children.

He later put his shotgun in a car he had rented and drove off to Mosta and Naxxar. Then he stopped to load the gun at Bahar ic-Caghaq and drove towards Pembroke where his estranged wife, Joanne Bajada, 32, was living with the victim and her children.

The two have been separated for three years and they have a son and a daughter. Mr Gatt told police that shortly prior to the separation he realised that his wife was not being faithful to him, Inspector Pullicino testified.

After spending some time parked near their house, he drove towards the parish church and bought water and biscuits while waiting for the 10.45am Mass to finish.

When he saw the man, his estranged wife, the 11-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son leave church, he took out his shotgun and covered it with a piece of cloth which was later found on the crime scene. He called out to Mr Ellul to draw his attention. Inspector Pullicino said Mr Ellul tried to run towards his own car as soon as he noticed the shotgun.

It was at that point that Mr Gatt fired the first shot, which left Mr Ellul standing, albeit injured. He held himself up by holding on to the railings of the garden adjacent to the pavement, the police inspector said.

Mr Gatt fired other shots towards Mr Ellul, however, only after telling his estranged wife, “You led to all this, take care of the children (Kollu int gibtu, hu hsieb dawk it-tfal),” Inspector Pullicino testified.

Mr Gatt told police he then left Pembroke and drove to Girgenti and Rabat where he prayed for his estranged wife, their children and the victim. Afterwards he drank beer at Siggiewi, where he was apprehended at 3.15pm. Mr Gatt refused to answer questions posed by the police and even giving his particulars, instead saying, “What could I do? He destroyed my family” (Xi tridni naghmel? Kissirli familja)

Inspector Pullicino said Mr Gatt was tracked down twice by a local mobile telephony company on orders given by duty magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona. He was first tracked to no avail in Zebbug. Later the police found in Siggiewi a car that matched the registration number given by eyewitnesses. A shotgun was found in the car’s backseat.

The inspector referred also to two testimonies given during the inquiry. The first one was released by a 14-year-old girl who was near the victim when he was first shot at. She first heard a loud noise, then felt a hot sensation on her leg and ran away while she heard other loud noises. She did not look back as she was afraid. She was slightly injured and taken to hospital.

A surgeon who had just left the church with his children told the police that he saw a man wielding a shotgun saying something to the victim and firing a shot at him. After another exchange of words, the aggressor fired other shots and the victim fell squarely to the ground.

The surgeon said at that moment his children and himself took cover; however, he could see the man walk slowly away. The surgeon then tried helping out the victim until the police and a medical team reached the crime scene.

Inspector Pullicino produced a number of police reports Ms Bajada had filed against Mr Gatt and confirmed that the police did not find any weapons on the body and car of the victim, in contrast to what the accused was saying.

Magistrate Demicoli ruled that there was enough evidence for Mr Gatt to be charged in court and put off the compilation of evidence to resume on 16 January.

Dr Mark Busuttil was legal aid to the accused while Dr Giannella Caruana Curran appeared parte civile.