Weekly news highlights

Chris Gauci, 19, of Luqa, died of his injuries last Friday week, almost a week after he had been involved in a car accident in Mosta.

Two racehorses burnt alive

Two race-horses died in an arson attack on Monday night.

Their owner, 20-year-old Stephen Farrugia, of Kircop, said the horses were A1 race winner Silver Ego, Swedish-bred, and Dandinurian, a Finn. Both were 12 years old.

The horses cost him Lm4,000, but were worth much more, Mr Farrugia said.

Lady Mamo dies

Lady Mamo, wife of the first President of Malta, Sir Anthony Mamo, who is 93, and co-founder of the Community Chest Fund, passed away on Tuesday. She was 86.

Lady Mamo was a member of the Maltese Order of Merit, and an honorary life member of the National Council of Women among others.

She died at Casa Arkati, Mosta. Her funeral was held at Stella Maris parish church, Sliema, on Thursday, and was attended by President de Marco, the Prime minister and other personalities.

Girl attacks school head

A 15-year-old girl student at a Church school physically attacked the head of school on Tuesday, after the head intervened to stop a fight the student was involved in, the Malta Union of Teachers said on Wednesday.

The head of school, a nun, suffered slight facial injuries and although the student was allowed to continue to sit for her exams, she will be disciplined by the school, MUT president John Bencini said.

Three jailed for drug trafficking

Three Qormi men have each been jailed for 27 months and fined Lm500 for drug trafficking.

Jesmond Galea, 29, and brothers Michael and Mario Scicluna, 26 and 22, were found guilty of dealing in cocaine between August 1 and November 30, 1997.

Student accused of killing man

A 20-year-old Yugoslav student was on Thursday charged with the murder of 62-year-old Joseph Drago at The Strand, Sliema, on Wednesday at about 4 a.m.

Lleja Vukadinovic, who was also charged with being in Malta illegally, was denied bail.

Attempted murder charge

A San Gwann man on Friday was charged with trying to kill a neighbour.

Anthony Fenech, 50, pleaded not guilty to shooting Charmel Pace and seriously injuring him in San Gwann on Wednesday evening.

Eight years for raping two young girls

A 53-year-old man on Friday was jailed for eight years for regularly raping two girls over a five-year period since they were 10 and 11 years old.

David Buttigieg, of Mellieha, was found guilty of corrupting the girls, holding them against their will and offending public morals.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro recommended he be given all psychiatric help necessary to overcome his problem if he consented.

Jailed for torturing cat

Dominic Zahra, 44, of Zejtun was jailed for 15 days for luring a cat with bait into swallowing fishing hooks, tying it up with a fishing line and throwing it into a skip. This was one of the harshest punishments to be handed down for a case of cruelty to animals in recent years.

Zahra was jailed by Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani-Grima after she heard how he tortured the cat because it used to trample all over his garden.

The frenzied cat was eventually rescued from a skip in Hal Tmiem, Zejtun, by police acting on a report.