Man who murdered former partner shared an apartment with victim

A court heard that Kenneth Gafa, 38 from Marsa, who stands charged with the murder of Christine Sammut, aged 40 from Mgarr, his former partner had been kicked out of an apartment the two shared with her for a period of time during the course of their year-long relationship.

From the compilation of evidence against Gafa, it emerged that both Gafa and Sammut had filed respective police reports against each other over arguments the two had had. In one report that Gafa had lodged, he told the police there was one particular occasion when Sammut hit him in front of a police officer.

Gafa, a bus driver, is being accused of shooting his former partner twice in the neck while she was waiting to meet another love interest as she sat in her van in Zebbiegħ, limits of Mġarr, at about 5.30pm last Saturday. She died some time later at Mater Dei Hospital due to massive bleeding.

Saying that he would testify in greater detail later on, Inspector Chris Pullicino told the court that Gafa had turned himself in at the Hamrun police station shortly after the incident.

The inspector also said that Gatt also opted not to answer questions about the alleged murder weapon during interrogations. So far, this has not been found.

Before she was shot at twice from a passing car, Sammut had been waiting for her new partner in a Citroen Berlingo.

Among other things, Gafa is being accused of troubling and threatening Sammut and her sister-in-law Susan on various occasions over the last four months, and relapsing. He also has a pending case of allegedly harassing Sammut.