Two soldiers face 14 charges over murder of Lassane Cisse in Ħal Far
Lorin Scicluna and Francesco Fenech, both soldiers, appeared in court on 14 charges including the murder of Lassine Cisse Souleymane and two attempted murders.
Soldiers charged with racially-motivated killing and attempted murders
The compilation of evidence against two Maltese soldiers accused of murdering Lassine Cisse Souleymane, 42, from the Ivory Coast, began before Magistrate Ian Farrugia, tvmnews.mt reports.
Lorin Scicluna, 22, from Paola, and Francesco Fenech, 21, from Marsascala, face a combined 14 charges stemming from the killing of Souleymane on 6 April in Triq tal-Ġebel, Ħal Far.
The two men are also charged with the attempted murders of Ibrahim Bah from Guinea and Mohammed Jallaw from Gambia, both incidents occurring on the same day as the fatal shooting. A further attempted murder charge relates to May Malimi from Chad, whom the accused allegedly struck with their car in a hit-and-run on 1 February.
Among the charges is the allegation that the crimes were racially motivated. The prosecution further alleges that on the day of the murder and in the months preceding it, Scicluna and Fenech made or recorded racist remarks, killed cats and birds, and fired at an abandoned building on a separate occasion.
Both men are additionally charged with failing in their duty as public officers to prevent such crimes from being committed. Scicluna faces an additional charge of breaching bail conditions imposed by the court in a prior case.
Inspector Keith Arnaud is leading the prosecution. Dr Franco Debono, Dr Marion Camilleri and Dr Julian Farrugia represent Scicluna; Dr Giannella DeMarco appears for Fenech. Dr Arthur Azzopardi and Dr Alfred Abela represent the victims as parte civile.
Source: Times of Malta