A 24-year-old accused of shooting a man in Iklin is pleading not guilty to attempted murder and grievous bodily harm, saying he shot him because he feared for his safety and that CCTV footage of the incident "will tell the truth”.
Ryan Sultana, a gardener from Iklin, stands accused of shooting 55-year-old Vincent Xuereb on Thursday. He is also facing other charges related to misuse of a firearm, causing violence and breaching the public peace.
Xuereb was found wounded in the shoulder and bleeding on Triq il-Wied at around 3.30pm, a few metres down the road from two wrecked vehicles that had been involved in a collision.
Xuereb will also be investigated, prosecuting lawyer George Camilleri told the court.
The two men are understood to have clashed in the past, with sources telling Times of Malta earlier on Friday that Sultana believed that Xuereb had defrauded him.
Shot using hunting shotgun
Camilleri, who was representing the office of the attorney general, told the court that the victim had been hit by a shotgun pellet and that police officers had quickly located the suspect, who lived nearby.
Sultana is alleged to have told interrogators that he shot Xuereb using a shotgun he owned that was licenced for hunting, and that he did so because he feared for his safety. Police officers located and confiscated the weapon.
Xuereb was taken to hospital to be treated for his gunshot wound but his life was never in any danger, the prosecutor told the court.
The prosecution objected to a request for bail, arguing that the victim had yet to testify and there was the risk of a further incident if the two men were to cross paths again.
CCTV 'will tell the truth'
Defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi rebutted by arguing that CCTV footage of the incident made it clear what had happened.”
“Many of the facts were preserved through CCTV. His position on the matter cannot change because it is literally preserved on video,” Azzopardi said of his client’s defence.
“Whatever either of them testifies is irrelevant, because the CCTV footage has been preserved. They can make up any detail they like, but the CCTV will tell the truth,” he said.
The defence lawyer also noted that inquiring magistrate Nadine Lia had already heard sworn testimony from the civilian witnesses who were involved in the incident.
Despite the defence’s arguments, magistrate Victor Axiaq decided after some deliberation to turn down the bail request, as there was a considerable risk of interference in the course of justice should the accused be granted bail at this stage.
“The situation could change at a later date in the coming weeks,” Axiaq said, “but at this stage the court will be denying a request for bail.”
The court ordered the accused to be remanded into protective custody and another magistrate will be appointed to try Sultana at a later date.