Husband tells police why he shot wife

A Siggiewi man said he had shot his wife outside a Qormi supermarket because she had ignored him earlier on that day and refused to speak to him despite his attempts, a police inspector told the court yesterday.

"In the statement released to the police, Anthony Falzon said he got very upset when his wife ignored his calls in Marsascala earlier that morning," Insp. Michael Mallia said.

"So he went to his Siggiewi residence, got his weapon, went to look for her and found her at the Shopwise Supermarket. He got even more upset when she refused to speak to him and so he fetched his gun and fired at her."

Insp. Mallia testified before Magistrate Noel Cuschieri in the compilation of evidence against Falzon, 46, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his wife, Lourdes, on April 5 at about noon.

He is also charged with seriously injuring her, keeping and carrying a firearm and ammunition without a licence and endangering people`s lives by shooting in public.

Insp. Mallia said that on April 5 at about 11.50 a.m. he was informed that shots had been heard near the Shopwise Supermarket in Mdina Road, Qormi and that somebody had been injured.

He arrived on the scene an hour later to see the woman inside the supermarket lying on the floor, bleeding. She was conscious and told the inspector that her husband had shot her.

An ambulance arrived and she was taken to hospital. In the meantime, the scene of the crime was inspected and evidence preserved.

Insp. Mallia questioned the supermarket`s general manager who said he had seen a man chase a woman outside. He did not know who they where but indicated a young cashier, Roslin Farrugia, who was related to the woman.

The officer questioned the girl and then went to hospital to speak to the woman. Her doctor told him she had bullet wounds on the back of her neck and left shoulder and also on her left knee.

"In hospital Mrs Falzon told me the incident was long in coming. She said that on the morning of the shooting she met her husband in Marsascala but did not stop to speak to him because she was scared of him.

"I later found out that Mrs Falzon and her children had filed about 13 reports against Falzon because of violence and that there were summary court proceedings against him. I also found out that separation proceedings were in progress.

"She had tried to leave him several times and finally went to live somewhere else. She was scared of him because he used to beat her up - with a belt sometimes. He also had fights with his son and once he threw his daughter`s car into a quarry," the inspector said.

Falzon was taken to police headquarters where he released a statement which he later confirmed under oath.

In the statement he explained that on the morning of the incident he got very upset when his wife ignored his calls in Marsascala. He went to get a gun from his residence and then went to look for his wife.

He found her at the supermarket but, again, she refused to speak to him. She walked outside without speaking to him and that upset him. When he realised she was returning inside, he went to fetch his gun from the car`s booth and shot in her direction, the inspector testified.

She fell to the ground in the road. The accused told the police he went to help her but she pushed him away and made her way into the supermarket.

"Falzon said his wife had changed in the past year and this annoyed him. Although he used to beat her up, he said he always wanted to be with her and he used to give her all she wanted.

"He also said he had had the gun for a long time and had tested it in his garden two weeks before the incident. He eventually gave the gun to the police. It was hidden in a wall in a Siggiewi garage," the inspector said.

Roslin Farrugia testified that she was Falzon`s niece. Her aunt, the victim, worked as a promotions manager with Farsons. That morning she had gone to the supermarket in connection with her job and did her shopping once she was there.

"My aunt paid for her groceries and then walked out of the supermarket. After a few minutes she walked back in and asked me to hold on to her shopping. She went back outside, came back in for her shopping bag and left.

"About five minutes later she came back in. She was injured. She fell to the ground and I heard people shout that she had been shot," Farrugia said.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Michael Mallia and Raymond D`Anastas are prosecuting.

Dr Albert Libreri is appearing for Falzon and Dr Joseph Giglio is appearing in parte civile for the victim.