Intruders had threatened former MP Anthony Zammit that they would cut off his fingers one by one if he did not give them cash, a police inspector testified in court today.

Police Inspector Joesph Mercieca was giving evidence at the opening of the trial of Kenneth Ellul, 39 of Floriana, known as Il-Lula, who stands accused of theft and violently assaulting the then Labour MP at his residence in Zebbug. The case happened on the night of August 11-12 2008.

Prof Zammit has been bound, gagged, beaten, robbed and threatened.

Prof Anthony Zammit

REQUEST FOR CLOSED DOOR HEARING REJECTED

When the trial started, prosecutor Lara Lanfranco from the Attorney General's Office requested that the case be  heard behind closed doors because of Prof Zammit's position at the time as an MP and a number of articles that had appeared in the media about the case.

Mr. Justice Lawrence Quintano turned down the request.

Going into the case, Dr Lanfranco said that on Augsut 12, at around 4.30am, the police were called to Prof Zammit's  house after people who had been drinking at a bar saw two hooded men running from the house and trying to drive off. The car did not start and they ran off.

A third person was then seen leaving the house, also running.

The police found everything upside down. Prof Zammit was found in a locked bedroom. He was tied to the bed and lying face down. He was covered in bruises.

When he was released, he said that he had just got home and was about to sleep when he found the men in the bedroom. They beat him up. One had a revolver and a sawn off shotgun, with which he was beaten.

The men demanded a large amount of cash and he told them he did not have that kind of money. This ordeal went on for two hours and he was constantly hit.

The men stole some €1,000, a ring and antique metal items.

The police found the items and the weapons in the car, which was previously stolen.

At that point the burglars were not known. Eight months later,the police were tipped off bout the accused.  These sources gave certain details and these, together with the description of the accused by the victim led to the arrest.

The accused always denied his involvement.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Joesph Mercieca from the Criminal Investigation Department, said that on the day in question he was informed at a round 4.30am that a burglary had taken place.

When he got there, he found that the door of Prof Zammit's house was not damaged or forced open. Philip Schembri, a canvasser of Prof Zammit arrived with a key to open the door. Officers walked in and found the door to the bedroom locked and heard moaning coming from the room. They found Prof Zammit with his hands tied behind his back, lying face down on the bed.

The professor told the police that the intruders had demanded Lm20,000 $46,500 approx) and a signed cheque. They threatened to start cutting off his fingers and toes one by one.

One of them stuffed a shirt into his mouth.

During the investigation, Prof Zammit told the police that the way the accused pronounced the 's' and 'f' in professor led him to identify him as one of the intruders. 

One of the intruders wore a carnival mask of an old man and another had a balaclava. One of them was tall and the other a little shorter while the third was chubby and short.  The third person didn't speak.

They stole four Rolex watches and €1,600 in cash, a Citizen watch and a ring with diamonds.

The inspector said the police had seen CCTV from the nearby Bank of Valletta and other establishments.

The three men matched the description given by Prof Zammit. 

The police first received information about the accused in November 2008. He was interrogated but denied everything.

In January of the following year, the police received more information. The police spoke to Mark Anthony Ellul, a good friend of the accused and he said that a month and a half before, the accused had spoken to him about the theft. Mr Ellul asked him if he was involved and he said that he was not involved. A short time later, however, he explained how he went inside and tied up Prof Zammit.

The police also spoke to Christopher Shepard, a good friend of the accused, Christian Ellul and Bruno Gauci. None of them fitted the descriptions of the men seen on the CCTV footage. 

The trial continues.