Court orders search for Rosso to resume

A magistrate yesterday upheld an application filed by the police and authorised that the search for the body of Brian Rosso continues for another eight days.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi ordered that the search, which had been halted about 10 days ago, should resume as soon as the members of the Armed Forces are ready to start and the weather is favourable. The search will go on for eight full days.

He gave the order after the Police Commissioner filed an application, on November 4, requesting that the search be resumed. The magistrate noted that he did not give the ruling earlier because he was waiting for an estimate of expenses.

Magistrate Mizzi gave the order at the beginning of the third sitting in the compilation of evidence against Anthony Bugeja, 37, and Piero Di Bartolo, 31, who are pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Rosso on October 10 and hiding his body.

Mr Rosso had been reported missing by his wife last month but, despite several searches by the police and AFM on land and at sea, his body has not been found.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo yesterday took the witness stand and explained that, about a month before Mr Rosso was reported missing, the man had gone to speak to him at his office and told him he was feeling threatened.

Mr Rosso mentioned being threatened by a Sicilian who worked with him on his fishing boat and said he also suspected a Maltese man from Marsaxlokk. Mr Rizzo advised him not to travel to Sicily and to steer clear of Catania and Palermo. He also told Mr Rosso to get back to him if he had the slightest suspicion that something was up.

Four or five days before he was reported missing, Mr Rosso called Mr Rizzo on the direct line in his office and told him that the Maltese man he had mentioned was hanging out with a notorious Italian man.

Mr Rizzo promised Mr Rosso that he would discreetly investigate the relatationship between the two men. Investigations showed that the two had been friends for some time but, Mr Rizzo added, he never managed to inform Mr Rosso about the outcome of these investigations.

On October 10, he was informed that Mr Rosso had been reported missing. In the light of the circumstances the report was investigated by the vice squad and the Criminal Investigations Department.

Mr Rizzo added that, although he was not personally involved in the investigations, he was constantly updated about their progress. As the case unfolded, the police spoke to Mr Bugeja and Mr Di Bartolo and noticed small discrepancies in their versions but which are significant to an investigating officer.

When questioned about Mr Rosso the two men gave the police three versions. They first said they knew nothing about the case, then that they had seen Mr Rosso being kidnapped by men in a dark colour car and finally blamed each other for fatally shooting him.

Both men told the police they were involved in wrapping Mr Rosso's dead body in a sack and dumping it in the sea.

At the end of yesterday's sitting Magistrate Mizzi ruled that there were sufficient reasons for the indictment of Mr Bugeja and Mr Di Bartolo.

Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Louise Calleja are prosecuting.

Lawyers Giannella Caruana Curran and Emanuel Mallia are appearing for Mr Bugeja while lawyers Joseph Giglio and Vincent Galea are appearing for Mr Di Bartolo.

Lawyer Jason Azzopardi is appearing in parte civile.