A man standing trial for the murder of his wife yesterday had several holes poked in his alibi as the jury was presented with various pieces of evidence that contradicted statements he had made about his whereabouts.

Reports compiled by court experts, presented by Inspector Keith Arnaud who continued to testify, revealed the places visited by Nizar El Gadi, 36, on the night of April 18, 2012. The Libyan is accused of murdering lawyer Margaret Mifsud, who was found dead in her car at Qalet Marku in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq the next day. Judge Antonio Mizzi is presiding over the trial.

The accused told the police that on that night he had driven until the Xemxija roundabout at the bottom of the St Paul’s Bay bypass in the company of a foreign woman he had just met in Paceville. According to his version of events he had then turned back to refuel the car at Fenech Service Station in St Paul’s Bay.

Meanwhile the victim was out for dinner with her work colleagues on the other side of Xemxija bay, but never made it back home, as she was killed some time later.

Evidence presented in court showed that a number of Wi-Fi hot spots within 30 metres of the restaurant had picked the signal from Mr El Gadi’s phone. This contradicted his claim that he had not been shadowing the victim.

Also, no €10 fuel sales were issued at the station that night.

Mr El Gadi told the police he had sex with the victim at 8pm in her car in Birkirkara, just before she went out for dinner.

Inspector Arnaud told the jury that from the call profile of Mr El Gadi’s mobile it transpired that he had not been near her house at least until 7.43pm, as his mobile was still traced within the St Julian’s area.

From an examination of the defendant’s Blackberry phone, it also transpired that on the eve of her murder, the victim had sent him numerous text messages warning him to stay away from her as he was breaking the law.

On his part, the accused begged her to give him another chance after she reported him to the police for allegedly trying to strangle her three weeks before.

Lawyer Martin Testaferrata Moroni Viani is defending the accused. The prosecution is led by lawyers Philip Galea Farrugia and Giannella Busuttil from the Attorney General’s Office, while Kathleen Grima and Arthur Azzopardi are appearing parte civile on behalf of the victim’s family.

The trial continues today.