The police are investigating why a report lodged at a police station by a man accused of attempted murder, before the attempt was made, was ignored.

The accused, Jonathan Casha, 32 of Hamrun, filed the report at Marsa police station. Casha is charged with attempting to kill two men on 21 April by shooting at them from outside the Hamrun bar, Zoners, after an argument.

The compilation of evidence started yesterday before Magistrate Carol Peralta.

The court heard that Casha had been drinking with others until he had an argument with two other men after he made passes at some women who were in the bar.

Inspector Saviour Baldacchino, who is leading the prosecution with Inspector Sarah Magri, said the police are conducting an internal investigation about the report filed by Casha, who had left the bar to report to the Marsa police about the two other men, and one of the policemen at the station told him to leave peacefully and they would be handling the matter themselves.

Casha left quietly after the police told the man with him to accompany him. Casha appeared inebriated. When he arrived home he continued brooding about what had happened and at about 12.45am he took his shotgun and went to Zoners. When he reached the bar and was a few paces away from it, he fired several shots at the facade, smashing the glass and injuring some patrons inside.

Carmelo Vella, who was in charge of Zoners, testified that the bar was being taken over by others who at the time were inside, running it on trial. Magistrate Peralta pointed out to Vella that he could refuse to testify as the police could proceed against him and he could incriminate himself.

Vella chose to testify, and said the bar was leased to him but he had agreed with the owner to pass it on to others. These were Donna Pace and Carlos Borg. On the day in question Donna was serving at the bar and when the accused went in he ordered a drink and made a pass at her.

Carlos took him out, telling him that Donna was his woman, and told him not to cause any trouble. Vella said he had heard the accused say something, which he did not make out what it was, but he thought Casha had told Donna she had a wonderful figure.

Casha subsequently went back into the bar and a patron, Dylan Pace, told him that Casha was making passes at his woman and at another man’s, and Vella said he told Casha to leave.

Casha again denied saying anything, and Vella retorted by wondering if that meant that everyone else was lying. Carlos told him Casha had again made a pass at his woman.

Vella testified that the accused was trying to join the company of some girls and started drinking voda. It was true he was making passes at some women. When he told Casha not to come back to Zoners, Casha did not come in again. After about an hour he heard two shots, he saw people running about and felt a mild burning on his foreheard and heard glass breaking. The police arrived, he did not pay much attention and did not see anyone with blood.

Vella said Casha had been at Zoners that day and on about three other occasions, and each time he had behaved well. That day the accused he had about 15 beers, and had been at the bar since 6pm.

A patron, Ryan Fleri, testified that he had been at Zoners for about 15 minutes and as he put a glass to his lips he heard two shots and felt a burning on his hand, his head and his back, and people running towards the toilet. He saw Carmelo Vella with blood on his head, and another person with glass shards on  his back.

Fleri said he had been at Zoners about four times. After the shooting he had gone to the polyclinic, had an X-ray taken at Boffa hospital and then went to the police station. He had been hit by about 17 lead pellets, three of them in the head. He had also been hit in the back and on his legs. There had been about 30 or 35 persons in the bar. About six of them had been hit.

Inspector Sarah Magri said that when the police got a report about a shooting at a Hamrun bar she asked if there were any injured, and the report was that visibly there were none, but some had seen two people with blood on them. When the police arrived on the scene these people were not there.

The inspector said she was told that when the accused went in Donna Pace had asked him what drink he wished to have, the answer was vodka. On investigating she was told that the accused, known as il-Buona, had smashed a glass against his own car.

It was found that the accused has five firearms registered in his name. Scene of the crime experts found a cartridge in the bar, drops of blood, which were analysed, and a number of overturned chairs.

They searched for the accused and went to look for him at Marsaskala, where his parents live. He was found there between 3 and 4am. His car was there as well. The accused went with them to Ghaxaq where he kept his firearms. They noted he had a scratch on his sideburns and a test was made for gunshot residue. They found 17 lead pellets in the back of Ryan Fleri, who went to the police station.

Inspector Saviour Baldacchino testified that Casha had cooperated fully with the police, and recounted what had happened. He had been quite some time at Zoners, and there was a woman.

Casha told the police he had been assaulted by some people and at one time was taken out of Zoners. He went out with his car, they followed him and broke a glass. Inspector Baldacchino said the accused told him he had gone with another persons to Marsa police station to file a report.

A policeman there told him to calm down and go home, but the accused said he was somewhat confused and went back to Zoners and fire shots in the direction of the bar, aiming to frighten the patrons inside. The police established that two had been injured.

Casha was known as tal-Buona, this was because he was an introverted person and very quiet. He was so quiet his co-workers called him tal-Buona.

Casha was allowed bail on a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000. Franco Debono and Noel Bianco are defence counsel.