Man accused with chopping up dead body and disposing it at sea

A Colombian man, accused of dismembering a dead body, placing the parts in a suitcase, and then dumping it at sea, pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges on Saturday.

The suspect, 43-year-old Andres Leonardo Gamboa Duran from Cucuta, Colombia, appeared in court before Magistrate Marse Ann Farrugia.
Duran, who lives in Msida, was arrested three days after police made a gruesome find when they were alerted to a floating suitcase along The Strand in Sliema. The suitcase contained the dismembered remains of a body.

Earlier on Saturday, the police said in a crime conference that the accused will not be charged with murder for the time being since evidence suggested that the victim was already dead when the body was chopped up. Police investigations are ongoing.

Duran was charged with promoting a criminal organisation, trafficking drugs, criminal association, money laundering, hiding a body, and trying to cover up a crime.

Duran appeared in court in a white hoodie with the slogan ‘Gang Signs’ on it. He was assisted by an interpreter.

The case against him continues.

Investigators believe the victim is also a Colombian national. His hands and feet were cut off and placed in separate plastic bags inside the suitcase. He was also carrying 101 cocaine capsules inside his stomach, suggesting he may have been a drug mule who arrived in Malta with the consignment.

During the crime conference, Police Superintendent and lead investigator Keith Arnaud gave details of the investigation thus far.
"We believe the victim was already dead when his hands and feet were cut off. There were no external signs of violence," he said.

An autopsy suggested the victim died from suffocation, although the cause of death is not yet certain. Arnaud said the police will not be filing murder charges against the accused at this time but suggested this could change if new evidence emerges.

Arnaud said the police tracked down the suspect and identified the shop where he purchased the axe used in the crime and the suitcase used to dispose of the body. They also found the suspect with a Portuguese man, who will face separate drug-related criminal charges.

Additional items related to drug trafficking were discovered at the property.

The axe used in the dismemberment was found in another property in Msida, which police believe was where the body was moved from before being placed in the suitcase.

Investigators are currently working to establish how the two individuals were linked and why the cocaine capsules found in the victim’s stomach were not extracted before the body was disposed of.