Army men acquitted of involuntary murder of gunner

Two soldiers charged with the involuntary homicide of a 19-year-old gunner, Matthew Psaila, have been acquitted today.

Lt Christian Vella, 30 of Zabbar, and Lance Bombardier Marvic Peregin, 34 of Pembroke, were charged with the involuntary homicide of Psaila, of Ta' Xbiex, who died in an exercise held at Chadwick Lakes on 13 February, 2009.

Psaila died during an incident in which soldiers had to swim through an underwater tunnel, but the defence submitted that the young soldier had never informed his superiors that he could not swim, leading to the accident

The defence quoted experts' reports which said that had Gunner Psaila informed his superiors, the accident could have been avoided.

Experts had also testified that one of the conditions for engagement with the Armed Forces was that applicants must be able to swim. But the accused had nothing to do with recruitment into the AFM, nor could they influence the date for the holding of the exercise.

An expert, John Gera, had testified that the temperature of the water was 8ºC and the water was 2.1 metres deep. It was true that the manner which decided the water's depth on the day of the accident, using a cane, was not correct but as all the soldiers had testified in the compilation, they had been asked if they could swim.

Brigadier Maurice Calleja, as an expert, had testified that this type of military exercise was tough and difficult, and sometimes dangerous.