Mario Camilleri junior was hit repeatedly with a tile before he was shot dead, said inspector Jeffrey Gerada during the compilation of evidence against George Galea and Jason Galea. The two are charged with the double murder of Mario Camilleri l-imniehru, and his son, last July. Taking the witness stand, police inspector Jeffrey Gerada testified that on 23 July he assisted inspector Michael Mallia when George Galea’s statement was taken. Mr Galea explained he parked his Mercedes by the Redeemer niche in Marsaxlokk. He was to assist Jason Galea as a security and was at the time waiting for him to arrive with Mario Camilleri senior.   When they arrived, George Galea went to sit in their Peugeout Partner and at one point, Jason Galea left to speak to a notary. Mario Camilleri told George Galea “If he misses I’ll fry him with this,” while producing a gun. Jason Galea was speaking to some foreign woman but Mario Camilleri did not want to speak to her and at that point, Jason Galea produced a gun and fired two shots at Camilleri’s head. Panic ensued as blood started to spurt out. They lowered the seat to cover the body and drove to a field in Birzebbuga where a whole had already been dug. Jason Galea instructed George Galea to wash the Peugeot while he asked him to give him 50% of the €19,000 cheque and name him as a shareholder in the company. Sometime later, Mario Camilleri junior arrived on site driven by a man known as Leli d-deffien. Jason Galea stopped the vehicle from driving further into the road leading to the field. George Galea grabbed the young man by the throat and as he shook his legs in an attempt to free himself, Jason Galea took a tile and started hitting him with it on the ground. Before this incident, Jason Galea had told George Galea there was a firearm behind a curtain in a room situated in the field and had wanted him to shoot Mario junior however, he did not do so. Mario Camilleri junior was killed in the same field where his father was buried. Jason Galea started hitting the young man with a knife and then fired two shots at him. He then tried to load the body in a wheelbarrow but it was too heavy. He loaded him in the Peugeot and drove it to the burial site. Jason Galea phoned Mario Camilleri’s wife Mona to let her know he was going to her house because he wanted to speak to her about her husband and son. George Galea drove him to the residence in Swieqi while he drove to Marsaxlokk where the Mercedes was parked. Inspector Gerada also gave Jason Galea’s version of events which was similar to that given by George Galea.  Jason Galea said he had spoken to Mario Camilleri and wanted to take him to a notary to give him some advice on money. They went to a villa in Marsaxlokk and after walking in through a drive-in and back out from another, he told Mr Camilleri that he was phoning them because they were not in. He approached Mr Camilleri from the left car door and told him a foreign woman who works with them had called him. But he refused to speak to her and Jason Galea shot him in the head. After they went to Birzebbuga, he called Leli d-deffien to take Mario Camilleri junior to the same field. George Galea was said to hve bought petrol with money Jason Galea gave him and they used it to burn the vehicle in which Camilleri senior was shot. Jason Galea said he left the gun he used in a room in the field. In cross-examination, inspector Gerada said Camilleri senior had some frozen assets and Jason Galea had told him the notary he knew could help him. Jason Galea explained the difficulties Camilleri was creating for him due to financial problems. He continued that Camilleri used to criticise him and interfere with the way he used his money. “They took everything I had and I cannot pay any more because I am ending up in debt and I have difficulties with the banks,” Jason Galea told the police. He also narrated an incident whereby Mario Camilleri took a photo of Jason Galea with a woman and because he did not want his wife to get to know about this and the Camilleris were threatening him, he was giving Mario Camilleri junior €500 a month. He was being threatened and was being sidelined. While giving his statement, Jason Galea also said that while driving to Marsaxlokk, Camilleri senior fired a shot and Jason Galea had reacted by telling him “you’re crazy”.

The defence counsel observed that the Court had recommended to prosecuting officers to bring in civilian witnesses at an early date during proceedings but they have not yet testified which is hindering the possibility of bail being granted. Inspector Gerada said he intends to bring in two men, Alfredo Attard and Emmanuel Farrugia and there are ongoing investigations on both but these will soon be concluded.

He also pointed out that Mr Attard has a very serious health problem and is going to hospital on a daily basis. The Court, presided over by magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona, said it does not see why Mr Farrugia should not be brought in to testify. With regard to Mr Attard, it ordered that his doctor is to be asked to testify. The case was put off for 18 December.