Father cries out for justice four years after brutal murder

"On September 16 2008, my son was brutally shot: a death which no human being deserves. It was a tragic situation my family went through - a situation which my wife Marta couldn't cope with, and which resulted her demise. My wife died heart broken over our son's murder."

This is a father's plea from Oliver Scicluna: who cannot understand why the man who gave himself up to the police after shooting his business partner has not yet been convicted.

It was around noon on Tuesday, 16 September of 2008 when Spiridione Mercieca, then 46 from Birkirkara, shot his business partner Martin Scicluna, then 43, in the chest and forehead from a distance of two metres.

The father of two from Siggiewi died on the spot at the Qormi office in Guze Galea Street of All Sports International - a company specialising in the installation of artificial turf pitches - of which he was chairman and Mercieca was managing director.

Mercieca, who was seen providing regular security during past election campaigns to the former prime minister and leader of the Nationalist Party Eddie Fenech Adami, gave himself up at the law courts in Valletta shortly after committing the shooting.

According to star witness Norbert Pace, who passed away last year, Scicluna was suspecting that Mercieca was fiddling with company money - an accusation that Dione Mercieca also leveled against Scicluna.

Testifying in court a month after the murder, Pace told the court that the victim had wanted Mercieca out of the company as he had suspected foul play in the company's finances.

But on that fateful day, Pace heard the two businessmen arguing in Scicluna's office,  with Scicluna ordering Mercieca to get his things and leave. According to Pace, Mercieca did indeed leave the office only to return with a gun and shots rang out.

Mercieca then left the premises and drove his Mitsubishi off-roader to Valletta, parked in Palace Square and walked right up to the law courts, found Police Inspector Chris Pullicino and gave himself in. Police later found the shotgun with two cartridges left in his car.

Taking the witness stand in the compilation of evidence, the police inspector said that Mercieca had walked up to him and said: "I have made a mistake, but I could not stand him anymore."

Pullicino, now a prosecuting officer in the case, had also confirmed that Mercieca had asked for him at the Police Headquarters before meeting him in Valletta.

In a letter sent to the media, Martin's father Oliver Scicluna said his family and himself were still shocked about what happened and couldn't understand why the case was taking so long. The Scicluna family is further concerned about how Dione Mercieca was also given permission to travel abroad.

"Four years have passed and the man accused of the shooting is still free, enjoying bail in comfort and luxury and is free to travel," he said. "This depreciates the seriousness of the crime and serves to undermine respect for the law."

But for the Scicluna family, what hurts most is that justice has not yet been served. "Justice delayed is justice denied... I hope that with the new reform of the judiciary system justice will now done."