Two workers involved in a tragic February 2022 incident that cost one his life were en route to deliver a load of rebar at the time, a court heard on Tuesday. 

Karmnu Micallef, 71, was accompanying truck driver, Davide Manunta, 35, on that February 3 afternoon when he stepped out of the large Leyland DAF vehicle to give the driver directions as he attempted to turn round the truck on a narrow road.

The incident took place on Triq Wied il-Qoton, Birzebbugia, with experts later reporting to the inquiring magistrate that that stretch of road was too narrow for such a bulky truck to be manoeuvred around. 

Micallef was hit and then dragged and run over several times with the truck’s left wheel before the driver realised what had happened. 

Police subsequently charged Manuta with Micallef’s involuntary homicide. 

On Tuesday, a court heard the testimony of Jeremy Mangion, who handles logistics at GP Borg Ltd.  

Mangion initially struggled to recall details of the work assignment and said he could not remember what it entailed or where Micallef and Manuta were heading. 

He then explained how prior to the fatal episode he had received a call from a certain “Pierre” who requested “some metal” (naqra ħadid) and he had therefore dispatched Manunta to deliver the order. 

Asked for further details about the person who had placed the order, Mangion said that he “did not know exactly, since he had spoken to the person on the mobile.”

“He told me ‘ we’ll meet at Ħal Far’ and I sent him the metal.”

But he could not recall the quantity ordered and was thus asked to produce, at another sitting, any document which could supply details of the caller and the particular order placed.

Pressed by parte civile lawyer Franco Galea to say who had decided which truck to dispatch for that job, Mangion said “I placed the order, that truck was free and I told him to go.”

At a previous sitting, another senior official of the company had testified that such operations were handled by his son.

That man, Kevin Borg, was summoned to testify during Tuesday’s sitting. 

Borg chose not to reply when asked by prosecuting inspector Jonathan Cassar about his relationship with Manunta and Micallef. The magistrate postponed Borg’s testimony to a later date, when he could return accompanied by a lawyer. 

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech specified that Borg could not be assisted by a lawyer representing the insurance company which provided cover for the vehicle involved in the incident.

Chemical expert Godwin Sammut also testified that toxicology test results he carried out on samples of the victim’s blood, bile and urine all resulted negative for substance use or alcohol.

The court also postponed the testimony of a GP Borg director, after defence lawyer Matthew Xuereb asked whether the prosecution could declare that it did not intend to take any criminal action against the company official. 

The case continues in May.

Inspector Jonathan Cassar is prosecuting. Lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb are defence counsel.Lawyers Franco Galea and Roberto Spiteri are appearing parte civile.