Murder suspect jailed for breaching bail

This morning the court once more jailed Kenneth Gafa, the man charged with the murder of hairdresser Christine Sammut, after the investigating officer claimed the accused breaching bail condition.

The accused, a 41-year old from Marsa who resides in Qormi, was out on bail over allegations that he murdered 40-year old Christine Sammut of Rabat. The case dates back to the early hours of 11 December 2010, when Sammut was found with a shot in the neck, inside a van, at Zebbiegh, limits of Mgarr. Subsequently the accused had turned himself in.

Preliminary investigations showed that the two had been dating for over a year but had various disagreements and had filed numerous police reports against each other. Prior to the incident the victim had thrown Gafa out of their apartment. Gafa is also facing charges of harassing Susan Sammut, who is related to the victim.

However, Acting Superintendent Chris Pullicino today told the court that on the night between Sunday and Monday, Gafa was seen drinking at a Qormi Bar. “His bail conditions read that he cannot be outside his residence after 10pm. This is not the first time I heard this allegation so members from the Rapid Intervention Unit were informed and Gafa was arrested from the bar of the Qormi Football Club”, the officer said.

The accused, pleaded not guilty to breaching his conditions, claiming he was working with his minibus near the Qormi football ground, alleging that officers had even allowed him to park illegally near the pitch.

This was rebutted by officers from ETC and Social Services who said that Gafa has been unemployed for a length of time and is currently on the dole. The two officers who arrested Gafa told the court that the arrest was made at 11pm in Qormi.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli ordered that Gafa is kept in preventive arrest and postponed the case to next Friday when the witnesses for the defence will be heard.