Bazena accused of killing Rachel

Two young men yesterday told a court how they could hardly believe their ears when a friend broke the news that he had had a fight with his girlfriend and did not know whether she was still alive or dead.

Ramadan El Masri and Osama Salah Abdul testified before the Magistrates' Court at the arraignment of Walid Nureddin Bazena, 22, a Libyan man living in Ghaxaq.

Bazena was charged with the wilful homicide of Rachel Muscat of Paola, the possession of a knife without a licence and at the time of the commission of the crime, being in Malta without leave from the immigration authorities and working without a permit.

El Masri said he had been in Malta for over a year, living in San Gwann, and had known Bazena for about a year.

He had last seen him about 10 days ago when Bazena went to meet him at a bar in St Julian's.

El Masri said he was with a certain Osama, known as Sam, when Bazena went looking for him and told him he had had a fight with Rachel and was in big trouble.

El Masri said Bazena told him he had stabbed Rachel with a knife several times and she could be dead. El Masri said he could not believe what he was hearing, particularly because he knew that Bazena and Muscat had been together for years.

El Masri said he had moved away from Osama to speak to Bazena and eventually went back and told Osama what Bazena had said. They were both appalled and somewhat scared, he said.

"Bazena did not know what to do, whether he should go to the police or escape. I was scared and told him to do what he wanted, to go where he wanted. He was not looking well and seemed very unhappy and upset. He left and I did not see him again," El Masri said.

Osama Salah Abdul said he had been in Malta for more than two years and had met Bazena in Malta. The last time he saw him was Monday last week when Bazena went to the bar where he was drinking with Ramadan El Masri.

Abdul said Bazena called Ramadan and they spoke together for a time and then called him to join them. He learnt that Bazena had beaten Rachel and could have hurt her to the extent that he was not sure whether she was still alive or dead.

Abdul said he could not believe his ears although he knew that Bazena and Muscat had a problem because her parents did not want her to live with Bazena any more.

"Bazena was asking us what he should do. He mentioned going to a hotel so the police would not find him. I know that he did in fact go to a hotel in St Julian's," Abdul said.

The case continues this morning.

Police Inspectors Carmelo Bartolo, Chris Pullicino and Sandro Zarb prosecuted.

Dr Leo Bencini appeared for the defendant.