Farmer recounts how he was shot by man he knew by sight

A magistrate yesterday heard how a farmer, who was shot following disagreement over a rubble wall, ended up with lead pellets in several vital organs including his heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestines.

Magistrate Saviour Demicoli was hearing evidence in the case against Mariano Grixti, 42, of Zurrieq, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Joseph Mifsud and his 15-year-old son Redeemer and seriously injuring them in Zurrieq on October 26.

Mr Mifsud was the first to take the witness stand and, when asked to take an oath, he informed the court he could only raise his right arm as his left was injured.

He said that, on October 26, he went to his farm in Zurrieq with his son at about 5 p.m. He asked his son to feed the animals as usual while he went to check on the field as he usually did. As he was walking he noticed Mr Grixti go by. He knew Mr Grixti by sight but had never spoken to him before.

Some time later he noticed that Mr Grixti was building a rubble wall and so he walked towards him to ask him to stop. Mr Grixti picked up a stone and Mr Mifsud tried to snatch it from his hand.

"He got very angry and so did I. I told him I was leaving and he got even angrier. I stepped over the rubble wall and back into my field. As I was walking away from him he shot me and I fell to the ground.

"I stood up and walked further away. When I turned to see where he was he said: 'Are you still alive?' and shot me in my left hand.

"I kept walking away. I was looking for a rug to bandage by bleeding hand when he shot me a third time. I walked on into an alley to seek help."

He went on to explain how he met a certain Zeppi and asked him to get help. He then lay down under a wall as he was feeling cold. He recalled his son, who was also shot by Mr Grixti, going next to him crying.

Mr Mifsud said he was first shot in his back and had wounds in the area between the back of his neck and his lower back. The second shot hit him in the left elbow and he was also injured in his right hand fingers.

Medical doctor Michael Spiteri, who was on duty at St Luke's Hospital's casualty department on the evening of the incident, said that a scan showed that Mr Mifsud had lead pellets in his heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestines. He was operated upon immediately.

Another medical doctor, Chris Spiteri, who examined Mr Mifsud's son, testified that the boy had been injured in the back and stomach.

Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Walter Spiteri are prosecuting.

Lawyer Joseph Brincat is appearing for Mr Grixti and lawyers Charmaine Cherrett and Adrian Camilleri are appearing in parte civile.