A man from Togo has been jailed for 30 years for murder after he admitted to killing his former partner, Caroline Magri in September 2016.

The Togolese man, Djibril Ganiou, had been indicted for the brutal murder of the mother of seven, whose lifeless body was discovered in an apartment in Ta' Giorni, Str Julian's. Magri’s throat had been slit by her former partner.

He had initially told the police that the woman had called him to say that she would kill herself, after the pair had argued, and that he had discovered her lifeless body in a pool of blood. He later confessed to the murder under interrogation.

Despite this, he had initially pleaded not guilty to murder when he was arraigned by Police Inspector Keith Arnaud in October that year.

Earlier today, before Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti, Ganiou pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime against the person.

The judge sentenced Ganiou to imprisonment for 30 years, as well as ordering him to pay nearly €40,000 in court expenses, warning him that failure to pay this would result in it being converted to further prison time.

Lawyer Joseph Ellis was defence counsel, whilst lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared parte civile for the victim’s family.

Lawyer Elaine Mercieca appeared on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.