Accused wanted sister’s gold, hours after murdering husband and son

The man accused of murdering his brother-in-law Mario Camilleri 'l-Imniehru' and his son Mario, contacted the victim's wife Mona demanding that she get all her money and gold to try and get Camilleri off the island.

Police Inspector Trevor Micallef this afternoon took the witness stand in the compilation of evidence against Jason Galea, and his half-brother George Galea, both charged with the murder of Camilleris in July 2013.

Jason Galea is brother to Mona Camilleri, the wife of Mario Camilleri.

Micallef explained that Mona Camilleri had called at the St Julian's police station after her husband and son had failed to return home and were not answering her calls.

"She said that CCTV footage at her house shows Emanuel Farrugia 'l-Iskrun', stopping his vehicle outside their Swieqi residence to pick up her son," the inspector said. Mona Camilleri had recognised Farrugia as the man behind the wheel.

She then told the police that her brother Jason Galea had called her three hours after the pick-up, to get her valuables and cash packed because her husband Mario was preparing to run away from Malta, and that Galea was helping him.

Before leaving the house, her son Mario had mentioned a Birzebbugia field that his uncle, Jason Galea, had previously mentioned. She had no clue as to where the field was.

Later in the day, Jason Galea knocked on her door but Camilleri did not let through from the first door, making sure that access to her house remained locked. Micallef said that Camilleri had described Galea as being "adamant on getting the gold and cash. She was terrified and did not let him in."

Investigating officers later learnt that Galea had proceeded to file a report at the Valletta police station that Mona Camilleri had threatened him. This report led to his arrest on suspicion that he was involved in the possible kidnapping of the Camilleris.

The police also arrested Emanuel Farrugia, who in his statement to the police admitted driving Mario Camilleri junior to a field in Birzebbugia, but claimed that he ran away when he witnessed Galea assaulting the youth. The man led investigators to the field. Digging the soil next to a tree, the two dead bodies of Mario Camilleri and his son were found in shallow graves. The younger Camilleri had been buried over his father. Crime scene officers also found a leg belonging to a third person. Forensic tests confirmed it belonged to taxi driver Matthew Zahra, who had been reported missing a year earlier.

Request for bail

At the end of the sitting, defence lawyer Joe Giglio again requested bail for his clients Jason Galea and George Galea, making clear his frustration at the prosecution's delays in determining whether the owner of the field where the Camilleris were founded buried - Alfred Attard - would be presented as a witness or an accomplice to the murder.

Attard is currently undergoing chemotherapy for an illness and the Attorney General has yet to decide whether to arraign the field owner as an accomplice to murder or as an eyewitness. 

Giglio said that the court had already ordered that Attard be summoned for today's sitting but the prosecution had defied this ordered. "For some, the presence of the defence counsel is irrelevant but we'll keep voicing our arguments," he said. Giglio is appearing for Jason Galea.

Representing George Galea, lawyer Gianella de Marco said the compilation of evidence against her client had now entered its eighth month. "If the prosecution feared the tainting of evidence, Attard would have been arraigned months ago, so waiting for a decision about his testimony should not bar the request for bail. Moreover George Galea's criminal record, although not clean, does not include serious crimes."

The defence lawyer said that the severity of the offence the accused was charged with was no reason for refusing him bail, although this should be granted with the necessary controls.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona put off the case for 17 March at 1pm.