Two Rapid Intervention Unit officers who arrived first on the scene shortly after a shooting involving a minister’s driver told a court today that the ministerial car had been moved but did not know by whom.
Police Constable Glen Calleja and Reuben Zammit said the ministerial car, driven by former police officer Paul Sheehan and the Vauxhall Insignia driven by a Stephen Smith, were side-by-side, parallel to each other, when they arrived – one on each lane.
As then were searching Mr Smith’s car for anything illegal, someone had moved the ministerial car which was placed in front of the Vauxhall.
This emerged as the officers were testifying during the compilation of evidence against Mr Sheehan, who stands charged with Mr Smith’s attempted murder after he clipped the ministerial car’s side mirror as it was being driven through Gzira.
An inquiry set up to investigate the shooting incident concluded that Mr Sheehan had shot two bullets at Mr Smith’s car and that there was an attempt to cover up the incident. This led to the dismissal of former Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia late last year.
The officers testified that they were on patrol when they heard an order via the radio that there was a minister’s driver was required assistance under the Tal-Qroqq tunnels and that shots had been fired.
PC Zammit said that as soon as they arrived, they found the grey Vauxhall parked on the inner lane and the minister’s Mercedes on the outer lane. Mr Smith was face down on the ground, next to his car with the driver’s door still open.
“We thought Mr Smith was injured because he wasn’t moving at all. He was not handcuffed. He told us he had done nothing wrong and he looked scared. He also told us that he did not know Mr Sheehan was a policeman and how he fled when he saw him point a weapon at him,” Mr Zammit added.
Mr Sheehan was standing in the middle of the road on his mobile with the service weapon in his left hand.
PC Zammit said that as soon as Mr Sheehan approached them, telling them that Mr Smith had crashed into the minister’s car, was drunk and had attempted to assault him, PC Zammit told Mr Sheehan to hand over the weapon.
“I asked him for it because he seemed as though he was still under shock and had adrenaline still running through his veins. I did not feel safe with him with a loaded gun around me,” he said.
Mr Zammit said the weapon was, in fact, loaded and “ready to fire” so he switched it into the safe mode.
“The cars were side by side, with the Vauxhall on one lane and the Mercedes on the other but until I searched Mr Smith’s car with my colleague (Mr Calleja) the Mercedes was moved and the traffic that had built up under the tunnels had started to flow,” Mr Zammit told the court.
His version was echoed by Mr Calleja and both officers could not explain how the car had moved from its original spot and neither who had moved it.
They said Mr Smith stank of alcohol and they found a Heineken bottle in the cup holder of the car’s centre console.
During today’s sitting, Police Constable Clifford Frendo took the witness stand to explain how he had received an order to drive the police low-loaded down to the Tal-Qroqq tunnels as two cars, including a ministerial one, had been involved in a road accident.
He said that when he arrived on scene, Police Inspector Gabriel Micallef drove the Scotsman’s car that had been hit by a policeman's bullets onto the low-loader.
Mr Micallef, whose sister is dating Mr Sheehan, was at one point investigated and questioned over tampering with evidence but not criminal action was even taken and he was reinstated.
Mr Frendo said that he had only driven a couple of metres when a police sergeant stopped him and told him that the Sliema superintendent had ordered that nothing is moved and that the site is preserved.
The case continues.
Police Superintendent Alexandra Mamo and Police Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted.
Lawyers Edward Gatt, Michael and Lucio Sciriha are appearing for Mr Sheehan. Lawyer James D’Agostino appeared parte civile for Mr Smith.