Abner Aquilina is fit to stand trial on charges of murdering Paulina Dembska, a court has ruled.

The decision follows the presentation of a psychiatric report by experts Joe Cassar, Anton Grech and George Debono, who testified on Monday.

The psychiatrists, who last examined Aquilina on Friday, concluded that he is now fit to stand trial, able to understand the proceedings and participate effectively in his defence.

Previous medical reports had found Aquilina unfit to stand trial.

Aquilina has withdrawn his pleas that he is legally insane now and that he was legally insane at the time of the alleged murder in 2022. As a result, a separate jury trial to determine whether he was legally insane, the ġurin, will no longer take place.

In Maltese criminal law, legal insanity differs from medical insanity and refers to the accused's capacity to understand and to will his actions at the time of the offence.

The case will now proceed to a regular trial by jury, during which jurors will determine Aquilina's guilt or innocence.

Aquilina stands accused of raping and killing Dembska at the Independence Gardens in Sliema, in 2022. 

The court had heard how Aquilina had been arrested by officers from the St. Julian's police station after they had received reports of a disturbance at Balluta church. Worshippers called the police, telling them that a man was shouting inside the church and had kicked over a lectern.

Sometime later, a police inspector had received a report about a body being found in the Independence Gardens, in neighbouring Sliema.

Lawyer Darlene Grima appeared for the Attorney General. Stephanie Caruana and Lara Dimitrijevic appeared parte civile. José Herrera represented Aquilina.