Anglu Xuereb refutes 'slanderous' allegations

Orizzont reports: Wife killed Gera, then Xuereb arrived on scene of the crime before police.

Entrepreneur Anglu Xuereb has hit at press reports suggesting he was present at a tampered scene of the crime.
Entrepreneur Anglu Xuereb has hit at press reports suggesting he was present at a tampered scene of the crime.

Updated with statement by Anglu Xuereb at 11:58am.

The father-in-law of Duncan Zammit, the murder victim in the New Year's Day tragedy that left another man Nicholas Gera, 26, dead, has hit out at press reports in l-orizzont that raise questions on whether the scene of the crime was tampered before the arrival of police..

Speaking on TVM's breakfast show TVAM this morning, Anglu Xuereb said his daughter Claire Zammit Xuereb never changed her version of events since she was first questioned by scene-of-the-crime officers.

"Yesterday she was interrogated for three-and-a-half hours by the police and she never changed her story," Xuereb said.

In a statement released to the press by advertising firm JP Advertising at 11:54am, Xuereb said he categorically refuted "without reservation the slanderou, insensitive and baseless allegations" made against him.

"While I am and shall remain determined to respond and seek justice in court for the great damage my family and I are suffering and are yet to suffer as a result of these allegations, I also feel that at present all focus should be on allowing the Police carry on with the necessary investigations unhindered. Furthermore, at this difficult time, my sole priority is that of dedicating all my energies towards supporting my family and towards seeknig to maybe find some way to comfort my daughter Claire, and to her support to try and surmount the devastation caused by this tragedy."

Police sources have told MaltaToday that according to Zammit Xuereb's version of events, Gera entered the Zammits' bedroom armed with two knives he took from the kitchen, stabbing 32-year-old Zammit, repeatedly some time after 6am on New Year's Day.

However, police leads are also concentrating on the possibility that it was Zammit Xuereb who defended her husband, by fetching the other knife from the kitchen, and fatally wounding Gera.

L-orizzont today published a plan of the Zammits' penthouse, in which Gera - whose relation to Zammit is still a mystery - is believed to have entered from a terrace through the rooftop, made his way to the kitchen, and back to the bedroom.

Citing MaltaToday's reports from neighbours who claim they heard loud sounds at 6am [one neighbour said they thought it was "a drunk person entering the building"], l-orizzont claim Xuereb arrived at Falcon House at 7:15am, before the police were alerted to the crime.

L-orizzont say that while the Xuereb family is insisting on the claim that Gera held two knives in his hand, no blood stains were found on the walls of the bedroom.

The newspaper also says that no blood-stained quilt or sheet was found "to indicate Zammit defended himself using the quilt."

It also said no bruises or cuts were found on Zammit's hands, that would indicate a defensive stance by the father-of-two as he lay asleep in bed.

Instead, it says Zammit ran away as he was being attacked - which is why the blood stains were found in the hall - while his wife fetched the knife from the kitchen to defend him from Gera.

Xuereb - speaking on TVAM - said his daughter called him after the stabbings, and then he left his Rabat home and arrived in Sliema in 20 minutes, with the police already there.

avatar
Naa Obinna
The police should be allowed to do their job. And as this is an ongoing case, is it prudent or ethical to have the Broadcasting Authority allowing certain programmes, like Bondi+, to be aired? And yes, Mr Xuereb, the police should be allowed to carry their investigations unhindered. So why the comments?
avatar
Kif jista xi hadd johodha bi kbira li l-gurnali u l-mezzi tax-xandir jibqghu ma jindagawx x'gara f'kaz li ma nafx jekk qatxx kellna bhalu ! Kieku ma jghidu u jiktbu xejn ikun ifisser li f'pajjizna m'ghandniex id-dritt tal-informazzjoni.
avatar
Most probably Anglu is appearing to defend his daughter and her late husband from all the cold blooded experts, cause someone who cannot understand how a normal person would react in front of such a horrendous scene must be a very cold and emotionless person. For all we know Gera was simply stoned, having a bad trip, and hallucinating at being back in Bosnia were he undoubtedly experienced the atrocities of war at such a young age. And for all those who seem to be Beautiful and Days of our lives fans, NO ONE has the right to take someone elses life so lets not try to justify what happened by blaming it on the couples success in all aspects of their life.
avatar
Whatever happened for whatever reasons you still must show some respect for both families. Certain comments are meant just to offend or hurt. What goes around comes around!!
avatar
Whatever happened for whatever reasons you still must show some respect for both families. Certain comments are meant just to offend or hurt. What goes around comes around!!
avatar
Why is Anglu Xuereb agreeing to appear on TV if he wants his family to be left alone? And why are TV and Times giving him so much favourable press when the entire tragedy is still so muddled? Maybe because Anglu's daughter is so close to Dolores Cristina?
avatar
Anglu Xuereb qed jitlob lin nies joqghodu kwieti u ma jistaqsux mistoqsijiet u hu jmur fuq it TV jitkellem. mhux bil fors jistaqsu n-nies? Il pulizija stess qalulna biex nistennew hafna sorprizi!! xífisser dan?
avatar
It comes down to this: Motive for crime - two main reasons being Drugs/Money and Sex/Passion. Robbery has been ruled out already. The live style enjoyed by Zammit would need to have been funded by several hundred thousand euroes annually. Who killed who - two knives wielded by same person is hogwash and two people who killed each other is less than plausible. Was the crime scene changed. What part did Xuereb play in all this. The phone records already make it clear that he had time to arrive before the police. I am already crossing myself in anticipation of the crap story the police will come up with. One thing seems clear - while expressing their surprise at what happened, both families are desperate for questions not to be asked.
avatar
"....i also feel that at present all focus should be on allowing the Policy carry on with the necessary investigations unhindered...." ....doesn't seem that Mr. Xuereb really believes in such statement as his comments in these last couple of days show otherwise!
avatar
Tistenniha xi haga bhal din mill-orizzont meta tqis li Anglu Xuereb huwa qrib hafna tal-PN.
avatar
Ghadna l-anqas nafu kemm ghawn esperti fuq id delitti gewwa Malta. Kullhadd ifajjar bl`addocc. Kullhadd jivvinta l-aqwa triller. X`cuc huwa Alfred Hitchcock.Ma nafx x`inhu jghamel il korp tal pulizija, meta ghandha daqs dawn esperti. Mhux aktar ikun aghqli li nghamlu platt brodu u noghqodu nibilawh boqqa boqqa, u inhallu lil pulizija tghamel xogholha, u lil familji tal l-imsejkna fil kwiet. Mhux aktar ahjar li kullhadd jghejx hajtu.........u mhux mohhna f`haddiehor.
avatar
It is not our business.Lets leave this poor family alone in their grief. This was a good opportunity for GONZIPN&co to shift the attention from Debono saga on this case.
avatar
COME ON GUYS LEAVE THE POOR FAMILIES ALONE, THEY ARE BOTH BROKEN AND IT WILL TAKE TIME TO HEAL.