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The Ghanaian man accused of strangling Miriam Azzopardi told police that he grabbed her by the neck while they were having sex in a Marsa field, a police inspector testified in court today.

Isaac Asare, 34, was charged with the femicide of Azzopardi on 25 September. He was also accused of stealing her mobile phone and other belongings. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.

48-year-old Miriam Azzopardi was found lifeless in a field in Marsa on 23 September.

Inspector Kurt Colombo Zahra, from the Major Crimes Homicide Squad, testified during the first compilation of evidence, taking the court through the investigation which led to Asare's arrest.

The inspector said police were informed on 23 September that a woman's body had been discovered in a field in Triq is-Salib tal-Marsa.

When he arrived at the scene, Azzopardi was lying face-up and appeared lifeless, with visible marks on her neck. She was wearing black trousers which were not properly pulled up and a black shirt and had no shoes on. A red handbag was found nearby.

Police initially suspected the victim was Azzopardi. Her identity was later confirmed after her brother arrived at the scene and provided details about identifying tattoos on her body.

The court heard that an autopsy established that Azzopardi died from asphyxiation due to strangulation, with her death estimated to have occurred around 12 hours before her body was discovered.

CCTV showed Azzopardi entering field but never leaving

Investigators subsequently collected CCTV footage to reconstruct Azzopardi's final movements.

At around 10:03pm on 22 September, Azzopardi was seen being approached by a man near the BOV in Marsa. Five minutes later, the two were seen walking towards the field.

At around 11:17pm, the man was captured leaving the field alone. Azzopardi was never seen leaving.

Police then used CCTV footage to track the man towards Triq il-Ġiżwiti in Marsa, leading investigators to suspect that he was staying in the area. Officers were deployed to locate him and he was eventually seen leaving a nearby property.

He was subsequently arrested after officers confirmed that he appeared to be the same man seen in the CCTV footage.

When questioned, the man told police that he lived at the Waterfront Hotel in Sliema, however during a search on his person, police found a set of keys that opened the residence that he was seen leaving from.

A pair of Nike sliders with red straps was found in the common area. The inspector said they appeared to match those worn by the man captured on CCTV.

Three mobile phones were also seized, including a black iPhone which was identified as belonging to Azzopardi.

'I grabbed her by the neck'

During his interrogation, the accused told police that he had known Azzopardi for around two years and that she used to bring food to the apartment where he and others lived.

Asked about the night of her death, he said he approached Azzopardi at around 10pm and asked her for sex. He claimed she asked for €10 in exchange and that they then went into the field.

"While I was ejaculating I grabbed her by the neck," the accused told investigators, according to Colombo Zahra's testimony.

He initially told police that he had spent around 10 to 15 minutes with Azzopardi. However, investigators confronted him with CCTV footage showing that he had remained in the field with her for around one hour and nine minutes.

The accused then said they had first spoken, had sex and that he later left.

Investigators also questioned him about Azzopardi's phone, which was allegedly found in a black bag in his possession. He claimed that Azzopardi had sold him the phone for €20.

Attorney General lawyer Kaylie Bonnet prosecuted, assisted by police inspectors Kurt Zahra, Wayne Camilleri and Miriam Lia.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared parte civile on behalf of the victim's family.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the case.