Man charged over 2018 Gozo murder

A 42-year-old man from Serbia was charged on Wednesday afternoon in connection to a murder which took place in 2018 in Gozo.

Aleksandar Stojanovic, who is currently unemployed and has previous convictions for theft, was arraigned in court this afternoon.

Earlier during the day, the police addressed a press conference on the case.

In court, the man was accused with the murder of Walid Salah Abdel Moteleb Mohamed, a 42-year-old Egyptian national, who was killed in January 2018.

Stojanovic was also accused of carrying a weapon without the necessary licence, of driving a car without a licence or necessary insurance, and of being in possession of a vehicle which was not properly registered with Transport Malta.

Stojanovic pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

Police spokesperson Brandon Pisani said the breakthrough in the investigation came after deeper analysis of CCTV footage that led investigators to the alleged perpetrator

During the crime conference, the police said it had established that the suspect was with the murder victim just hours before he was found dead in a field in the outskirts of Għarb.

The victim’s body had been found with two shotgun wounds, one on the left side of the neck and the other in the centre of the chest. The murder weapon is yet to be found.

No request for bail was made.

Superintendent Keith Arnaud and Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri led the prosecution.

Lawyers Anthony Vella and Etienne Savona appeared for the State Advocate's Office.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared parte civile.

Magistrate Simone Grech presided over the case.