New court expert to analyse contradictory examination of Vince Farrugia injuries

Magistrate Edwina Grima has appointed a new court expert, radiologist Dr Malcolm Crockford, to analyse the medical findings of forensic expert Dr Mario Scerri and Dr Anthony Samuel, to give a definite conclusion as to why type of injuries were suffered by GRTU director-general Vince Farrugia.

Farrugia was allegedly violently attacked by former colleague Sandro Chetcuti in the GRTU offices in 2010. Chetcuti stands charged with the attempted murder of Vince Farrugia.

But Chetcuti’s defence lawyers, Emanuel Mallia and Edward Gatt, today asked the Attorney General to consider diminishing the charge to that of causing slight injuries, in the wake of “serious contradictions” in the evidence of Farrugia’s injuries.

Court expert Dr Mario Scerri had challenged a medical report previously presented by consultant radiologist Dr Anthony Samuel – who saw to Farrugia’s injuries – insisting that Farrugia did not suffer fractures but was only slightly injured. Scerri challenged Dr Samuel’s conclusions, insisting that Farrugia’s ribs had not fractured.

When he testified in July 2010, Dr Samuel admitted he knew the Farrugia family but denied having altered the medical results.

In a heated exchange in the hearing before Magistrate Grima, the two sides argued over a note that had been forwarded to the court to ask for Dr Samuel to be presented again as a witness, and testify on the injuries suffered by Farrugia.

Dr Mallia however insisted that the AG could not request a witness to be represented to the court once they had already testified. The prosecuting officer said the witness had been requested by the Attorney General.

Magistrate Grima turned down the request, saying that Dr Samuel was not a court-appointed expert.

In another twist to the case against Chetcuti, the court also turned down a request by Farrugia’s lawyer – his son Jan-Karl – to remove the SMS text messages lifted from Farrugia’s mobile phone and documented in the proceedings.

Sources claim the messages sent by Vince Farrugia to various sections of the press and opinion-makers, as well as contacts with a third person who indicated he would contact the Police Commissioner on the case, are being interpreted as ‘undue influence’ to inflate the scuffle with Chetcuti into an attempted murder charge against him.

The incident between Chetcuti and Farrugia was sparked off by a text message meant for Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, and which Chetcuti sent to Vincent Farrugia by mistake.

Farrugia claims that this message showed that Chetcuti – who was then a GRTU council member – was giving confidential information on the GRTU to Muscat, and an argument ensued when Chetcuti went to Farrugia’s office to explain what had happened.