Victim's partners speak of life of beatings

An eyewitness to a murder yesterday told jurors how he heard three shots then saw a hooded man, whom he recognised to be Melchior Spiteri, signal to him to move out of the way before he fired a fourth shot at Jason Azzopardi.

Joseph Zaffarese, a mechanic who was with Jason Azzopardi when he was shot on October 22, 2001, yesterday took the witness stand before Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono in the trial by jury of Melchior Spiteri and gave a detailed eyewitness account of the shooting incident that led to Azzopardi's death.

Spiteri, 28, of Cospicua is pleading not guilty to the murder of Azzopardi, known as Is-Sufu, in Cospicua.

Zaffarese yesterday explained how on the day of the murder he met Azzopardi outside his garage at about 8.30 a.m. because he was to repair Azzopardi's rubber dinghy.

As they were walking into the garage Azzopardi, who was walking behind him, pushed him jokingly and told him to watch his step.

"Then I heard three shots and when I turned round I saw Jason fall to the ground and someone behind the low wall. I recognised that person to be Melchior [Spiteri]. His face was covered by a stocking, which stretched down to his nose. I recognised him from his teeth and his eyes.

"He then climbed onto the low wall and made a sign with the pistol he was carrying in his right hand. I understood that he wanted me to get out of the way so he would not hit me. I did and he shot at Jason again. Up till then Jason was still alive as he was moaning.

"Melchior then got off the wall, bent over Jason and shot him again. That was when Jason stopped moaning in agony," Zaffarese said.

He said that he saw Jacqueline Rapinett, who lived with Azzopardi, walk past and told her to keep walking then he went to the police station.

Jacqueline Rapinett and Georgina Farrugia took the witness stand separately and explained that they both lived with Azzopardi, from whom they had children.

They said that Azzopardi loaned money to people and at times beat up people who did not pay up. He also prostituted women.

Rapinett said that on the day Azzopardi was shot she was walking home after having taken the children to school when she saw Spiteri drive towards Zabbar in a green Mini Minor.

When she arrived near Azzopardi's garage she saw Farrugia cry and learned that Azzopardi had been murdered.

She said that on one occasion Azzopardi beat her and she filed a police report but he beat her until she withdrew the report.

Farrugia said that on the day of the murder she was inside, she heard shouting, walked outside and saw Azzopardi dead on the ground. She said she did not see Spiteri that day.

But Dr Mark Said, prosecuting, reminded her that when she gave evidence before the inquiring magistrate two years ago she said she saw Spiteri shoot Azzopardi.

Farrugia yesterday said she had not seen Spiteri on the scene and had been instructed to say she did by Azzopardi's father, Mario.

She explained that she was scared of Azzopardi's family and when she testified before the magistrate she was confused and on medication. Now she was no longer scared.

"Jason beat me up several times and he even shaved my hair three times. He also beat my children. When I told him I'd go to the police he'd threaten to kill me... He said he was not scared of police," she said.

"He used to take me down to Gzira at about 6 a.m. and pick me up in the evening but if I did not have money he would leave me there till the following morning. He beat me several times and he also beat and prostituted his own mother," she said.

Farrugia said that about a week or two before the incident Azzopardi hit Spiteri's mother Abigail in the face. Some time later Spiteri went to speak to Azzopardi but she did not know what they spoke about.

"Jason often used to tell me he wanted to kill Melchior but did not tell me why," she added.

Farrugia said she knew Spiteri and his brothers as they were friends.

She insisted she was saying the truth because now she felt she could speak more easily. At the end of Farrugia's testimony the judge, who had previously cautioned her, ordered that Farrugia be held under arrest, as he had reason to believe she was not telling the whole truth.

The trial continues this morning.

Seniour Counsel to the Republic Mark Said is prosecuting.

Dr Tonio Azzopardi is appearing for Spiteri.