Police Inspector testifies in attempted murder case

In a sitting before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli earlier this morning, Police Inspector Roderick Agius described the report he received about an incident that took place last Wednesday involving two women from Qormi. “There was an argument between two women and one of them was stabbed with a flick knife in her left hand. The blade had gone right through” he said.

Recounting the events as described to him by stabbing victim Wendy Gauci, the inspector told the court that Ramona Magri was driving behind Ms. Gauci, who stopped to confront her about a dispute which had started in Paceville some days prior to the incident. Inspector Agius explained that according to the initial report, “Magri pulled out a pen knife and “waved it at her abdomen” Gauci attempted to protect herself with her hand and suffered the injury as a result.

According to Inspector Agius' testimony, Magri then filed a report at the Valletta Police station and had told him that she had argued with Gauci about a lover whilst in Paceville last Wednesday. The situation had escalated over the course of the previous days after an exchange of SMSs between the two women.

Gauci is claiming to have been stabbed with a 6-7cm flicknife used by Magri. In her initial statement to the police, Magri claimed to have been attacked by Gauci wielding a metal pipe, which she then used to damage her car window. Under cross-examination by Magri's defence counsel, Inspector Agius confirmed that neither was the pipe in question found at the scene and surrounding area, nor had it been recovered since.

Under cross-examination, the Inspector was asked whether Gauci's injuries could possibly have been self-inflicted by her own improvised weapon, however according to Inspector Agius, “hospital records and both parties’ description of the pipe used did not support this theory”. He confirmed that the pipe was not used to attack Magri’s person and that it had only damaged the rear passenger window.

The inspector exhibited a note explaining Ms. Gauci’s absence during today’s proceedings as she was “in hospital removing stitches”. The court then adjourned the case till the first of September for Gauci's testimony.

Lawyer Franco Debono appeared for Ramona Magri and Inspector Roderick Agius prosecuted.