A survivor of a shooting has told a court how he has been left unable to urinate after a bullet tore through his body.
Mohammed Jallow was giving evidence against two soldiers charged with murdering a migrant from the Ivory Coast in what's believed to be Malta's first racially-motivated killing.
Francesco Fenech, 21, and Lorin Scicluna, 22, are accused of killing Lassana Cisse Souleymane, 42, in a drive-by shooting in Birżebbuġa on April 6. They deny the charges.
They are also charged with the attempted murder of Mr Jallow, 28, and another man, Ibrahim Bah, 27, both from Gambia.
Mr Jallow testified on Thursday how he still suffers the repercussions of the shooting three months ago.
He described how he was shot on the right buttock. "The bullet went out from the other side," he said. "I had trouble urinating, I still have."
What we learned from Thursday's sitting:
- Mohammed Jallow was shot on the right buttock but did not see who shot him
- Mr Jallow and his friend saw lights from a car approach them before they heard the shots, mistaking them for firecrackers
- Mr Jallow does not remember previously giving evidence from his hospital bed
- A ballistics expert will have to be appointed from abroad because Malta doesn't have one
- Lorin Scicluna had weapons registered in his name; Francesco Fenech did not
Scroll down to read our report of the evidence, as it happened.
Court adjourned until August 29
11:41am: Proceedings have adjourned. The compilation of evidence will continue on August 29.
Prosecution requests ballistics expert
11:33am The prosecution has asked for a ballistics expert to be appointed. Apparently, this was not done during the inquiry. The ballistics expert is to examine the weapon seized from murder accused Lorin Scicluna.
The expert will be tasked with comparing the bullets and cartridges lifted from the scene of the crime with those removed from the Lassana's body.
Dr Nadia Attard from the Attorney General's office informs the court that this expert would have to be from the Netherlands Forensic Institute because there are no such experts in Malta.
Surveyor to examine cars
11:26am There are to be two surveyor reports on the Toyota Starlet and the VW Golf upon a request by the prosecution. The surveyor report is to focus particularly on the current state of the vehicles in comparison to their appearance at the time of manufacture. This to determine whether they had any particular marks or signs by manufacturers or otherwise
Short break in proceedings
11:07am There's a short break at the moment while the magistrate, who also happens to be duty magistrate today, presides over an arraignment. You might remember that this case has been in the news again recently. Over the weekend, a memorial to murder victim Lassana was vandalised.
Dried flowers lie on the ground by the memorial site. Photo: Mark Zammit CordinaShooting survivor unable to recognise alleged attackers
10:50am Mr Jallow is asked if he can recognize anybody in court in connection with this case?
"No, no." He did not see them so he could not recognize them, the interpreter replies after the witness looks around the room.
Survivor questioned on the direction of the car
10:44am Mr Jallow testifies that the car was heading to Birzebbugia. The moment they came close to the car, they heard the shots, he tells the court. The road is rather narrow at that stretch, he explains. As the car was on the right side of the victim, shots were fired. Victims and car were going in opposite directions.
The car was supposed to take the other lane but it took the lane closer to the victims, Mr Jallow, speaking through an interpreter explains. "Was the car in front of them or alongside?" the magistrate asks. They were first facing the car, he replies. Then when the car drove on it passed the right side of the witness. "What happened next?" lawyer Azzopardi asks. He does not remember anything after that.
Shooting has left survivor with trouble urinating
10:33am The questioning now turns to the injuries Mr Jallow sustained. He tells the court he was shot on the right side of his buttocks. "The bullet went out from the other side. I had trouble urinating, I still have."
He tells the court that the interval between the shots was very close. He and his friend, Ibrhaim Bah, who has previously given evidence in the trial, were walking side by side. After being shot, he couldn't remember anything.
Lassana Cisse Souleymane was shot dead as he walked homeSurvivor does not remember previously giving evidence
10:23am Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, and then the magistrate, reminds the witness that he has already testified under oath, while he was in hospital on April 7. Mr Jallow says he does not remember giving any evidence before today.
"Let me ask him again," the magistrate asks. "After this incident was he at Mater Dei?" The interpreter replies: "Yes. He was in the main hospital. He spent two weeks there.
"When in hospital people went to speak to him, 'important people',” the magistrate says. Police, a female magistrate."
Mr Jallow says he does not remember. Asked if he is afraid of somebody, Mr Jallow answers: "No." Asked if he suffers memory loss, he also replies: "No."
Asked again if he remembers Chief Inspector Arnaud and Magistrate Montebello, who spoke to him in hospital, he replies: "No".
Survivor: Shots sounded like 'firecrackers'
10:16am On the night of the incident, Mohammed Jallow went to watch the Atletico Madrid football match at Birżebbuġa with his friend. He and his friend Ibrahim were going home to Hal Far. They took a secondary road on the way to Hal Far China House. He tells the court his friend suddenly heard a sound, "It was like the sound of firecrackers."
He then saw a light and heard the gunshots twice. Asked if the light was coming from in front or behind him, Mr Jallow answered: "It was coming from behind". He said it was only then he realised something had happened to him.
Asked if he could tell how many people were in the car, Mr Jallow said no, he just saw lights. He couldn’t tell if there were 2, 3 or 4 people in the car.
Police cordoned off the scene of the shootings at Triq il-Ġebel on April 6Witness testifying in Fula
10:07am Mohammed Jallow, who survived the shooting that killed Lassana Cisse, is giving his evidence in Fula. It's a Senegambian language spoken in countries across West and Central Africa. Mr Jallow came to Malta from Italy in 2008, he says. He was staying at Reggio Emilia and then Hal Far.
Who are the lawyers involved in the case?
10:03am There's a brief interlude while the magistrate retires to the chambers. So here's a list of who is representing those involved in the case. Lawyers Franco Debono, Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia are defence counsel to Lorin Scicluna.
Lawyer Giannella DeMarco is defence counsel to Francesco Fenech, who is also assisted by lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell. Inspector Keith Arnaud is prosecuting.
Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi is parte civile.
Shooting survivor takes the stand
09:59am Mohammed Jallow is the next witness. He survived the shooting that also injured another man. Lassana Cisse was then killed in an attack later. He is from Gambia and is being assisted by an interpreter.
Police: Weapons registered for Scicluna not Fenech
09:52am Police inspector Camilleri takes the witness stand. She carried out research on the weapons held by the two accused. Scicluna is registered on police system. His weapons are currently marked as seized. He also paid the licence for target shooter A and B. The weapons' make and serial number are presented in the document. However, Fenech was not registered on the police weapons system. That meant that no arms were ever registered in his name.
Transport Malta representative testifies about cars
09:50am Transport Malta representative Stephen Cachia testifying about two vehicles. A Toyota was registered in the name of Scicluna since 2018. The other car a black Volkswagen Golf registered in name of Fenech since March 2019.
Go representative testifies
09:47am Anthony Bonnici, a representative of Go is reporting on data gathered by the company regarding a particular mobile after a request by the prosecution. This mobile was registered in the name of Grace Fenech. Mr Bonnici presents a CD with all the data collected by Go.
What to expect today
09:41am There will be three witnesses today. First we'll hear from representatives of Go and another company. Then we’ll hear the testimony of a survivor of the shooting on April 6.
Defendants arrive in court
09:38am Lorin Scicluna has just been escorted into the courtroom. Wearing a black suit. His parents and other family members seated behind him. Francesco Fenech has also arrived with his parents. Each is accompanied by a police officer