Woman recounts how she was thrown off a balcony

A woman who was pushed off a third floor balcony yesterday recalled the horrific moments of landing on her feet and falling over backwards after the fall.

The woman, Georgina Borg, 27, was being cross-examined while testifying in the jury of her former boyfriend, Marco Zarb, 20, of Birkirkara, who is pleading not guilty to attempted murder.

Police Inspectors Antonello Grech and Jeffrey Cilia testified on Monday about how the accused had released a statement in which he had given details on how he had pushed her over the balcony. When he saw her lying on her back on the ground and realised she was still alive he tried to strangle her. But people turned up and he had to stop. The accused told the police he wanted to kill her because she had two-timed him and he loved her.

Borg yesterday testified how Zarb grabbed her by the hands as she was in the kitchen and took her to the balcony. Although they struggled for about five minutes, while she begged him to let her go, he still managed to push her over, she said.

She recalled feeling a pair of hands trying to suffocate her as she was lying on the ground after the fall. But it was not clear to her whose hands they were, as she was passing out.

She recalled she had spoken to a doctor at the hospital in Gozo but denied she had told him she had jumped off the balcony. "I was still undecided whether to forgive him or not," she said.

Dr Patrick Sciberras had earlier testified that the victim told him she had fallen. When he talked to her boyfriend he was stunned to hear him say: "You are not suspecting that I pushed her, are you?" This raised his suspicions and he had told Inspector Antonello Grech about it.

The victim recalled that Inspector Jeffrey Cilia had spoken to her while she was undergoing treatment at the orthopaedic ward. She recalled telling him they were fighting and she ended up thrown off the balcony.

The victim said the accused was the man who loved her most and she often used to say that about him, but she could not say that any more.

According to medical reports, the woman is wheelchair bound and destined to remain so. Apart from spinal injuries and several fractures in her ankles, she also had broken ribs and a punctured lung as a result of the fall.

Dr Noel Bartolo, who had been appointed by the inquiring magistrate to hear evidence, testified that the accused had already given a statement to the police. Then he read the questions and answers and the accused confirmed them and did not want to add anything. The accused had often said he felt betrayed and hurt and he looked tired and sad.

Dr Jan Balent, a doctor at St Luke's Hospital, said a surgical operation was delayed because the victim thought she was pregnant. For spinal surgery to take place, those involved would have to undergo radiation, which is contra-indicated in cases involving pregnant women. The first pregnancy test was faintly positive and the second was negative. Spinal surgery was then performed.

Emilia Borg, the victim's mother, testified she was in the flat together with the accused and others and saw her daughter and another man going up to the flat with two coke bottles in their hands. When she asked her who the man was, her daughter said he was a friend.

She said the accused refused to eat and her daughter did not want to eat as she said she had already had a snack.

At one point she heard the accused saying that he "would stab her" but she thought he was referring to his sister as she knew he had had an argument with his sister.

Later that evening the accused went to speak to her while she was having a drink with a friend and told them to call an ambulance as Georgina had jumped off the balcony. She said she asked whether her daughter was still alive and then fainted.

Under cross-examination, Mrs Borg said her daughter was married to Brian, a Sicilian. Confronted with her daughter, it resulted that she was married to Hasan, a Syrian, who called himself Brian.

Mrs Borg said that although "Marco threw my daughter in a wheelchair" and she would do her utmost to cure her daughter, she had nothing against him as he always treated her daughter well and cared for her son.

Yesterday's sitting was not without its lighter moments.

When names of witnesses were called at 9 a.m., several were absent and were fined by the court. But when they were called to the witness stand later, they turned up.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono asked them to explain why they were not in court at 9 a.m. and some said they had been informed by a court marshal they had to be there at 9.30 a.m.

This was confirmed by the court marshal who said that witnesses coming from Gozo were asked to turn up at 9.30 a.m.

In view of the explanation, the judge reversed the earlier decision to fine them but warned them that, if summoned, one had to be in court at 9 a.m., irrespective of whether one came from Gozo or not. "There are earlier ferry boats at 5 or 6 a.m. if need be. Even those coming from the moon have to leave in time to be here at nine," Mr Justice Galea Debono said.

Those who turned up to testify late and tried to find excuses, rather than apologise to the court for their absence, were fined.

Dr Anthony Barbara prosecuted.

Dr Chris Cardona and Dr Chris Soler appeared for Zarb.