The man charged with the murder of his estranged wife’s partner in Pembroke on 2 December told the police that he fired the shots outside the church because his wife had taken away his children, said Police Inspector Silvio Valletta yesterday.

Insp. Valletta was testifying in the compilation of evidence, before magistrate Saviour Demicoli, against Martin Gatt, 59, from Mosta.

Mr Gatt, who resides in St Paul’s Bay, 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.

In his testimony, Insp. Valletta said that, on 2 December, he was informed that shots had been fired outside a church in Pembroke and that a person was injured.

“However, when I arrived, the victim, Louis Galea, was already dead,” he said.

The inspector said that he spoke to the accused’s estranged wife, Joann Bajada, who was under great shock and who identified the man who fired the shots as her former husband. When Mr Gatt was interrogated by the police, he said that he did what he did because his wife had stolen his children and was not allowing him to see them.

However, Insp. Gatt told the court that Ms Bajada said that their son did not want to meet his father because he used to accompany him to various band clubs and did not enjoy it.

Furthermore, she also told the police that she left her husband because he used to gamble all his money away and did not give her any.

However, Mr Gatt told the police that he started gambling after his wife left him and not before.

In his statement, he also said that, on his way to work, he saw his wife with the man who died, Mr Galea, at the swings in Lija. When he saw them he became very angry.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Chris Pullicino prosecuted while Dr Mark Busuttil acted as legal aid for Mr Gatt. Dr Emmanuel Mallia appeared in parte civile for Mr Galea’s family.